Hello, A few weeks ago I heard on one of the Scotland Lists that a well-liked, very helpful researcher in Australia had a sudden illness and was forced to go live in a Nursing Home. This reminded me of something I mentioned on some Lists a couple years ago: Don't forget to go visit someone in a Nursing Home !! You never know what "family story" you might hear. Or, you never know what tidbit of information you need - might be available from a resident of a Nursing Home. Next week it will be the month of November ! Time for holidays for some. Time for "family get-togethers." And, time to remember those people who can no longer attend Thanksgiving Dinners. As I mentioned a couple years ago on a List, I had asked that a "letter to the Editor" be posted in a local paper in Canada - in regards to one of my ancestors. I can't remember whether it was for Nova Scotia or New Brunswick. A few weeks later I received a hand-written letter in the mail. A resident of a Nursing Home had seen my "letter to the Editor" in her newspaper and thought she had some information which could help me in my research. She had to borrow 2 pieces of paper from a nurse, and a pen, and she had to write her letter from the arm of her wheelchair. Then she had to borrow an envelope and a stamp from a nurse, so she could mail the letter to me. As it turned out, one of the people on the List worked at that Nursing Home and knew the lady. She personally went in the next morning and told the lady that I had received the letter and enjoyed it. Another reminder? Remember that the residents of a Nursing Home -- no longer have access to their home, and their desk, nor a convenience store. And, if they want to write a letter to someone, they can't. So, when you visit a friend or loved one in a Nursing Home, please remember to bring some "writing supplies" with you, etc. For different reasons, I visited a local Nursing Home in the 1980's, and was told about a woman who would ask to be dressed on Sunday morning -- because her family was going to be coming to visit her. She would get into her wheelchair and go out to the "front door" and sit there - hours on end - waiting. This was every Sunday, and no one ever came. And, if you know of someone who has suddenly gone to live in a Nursing Home, maybe you could find out if their "family research" has gone into safe hands. I'll post a more cheerful message .. later in the day ! :o) Betty (near Lowell, MA, USA) List Administrator P.S. I had a sudden and unexpected, life-threatening illness 2 yrs. ago this month. I was told I had a "miraculous recovery" by several doctors. My boxes of genealogy papers? Only Heaven knows what would have happened to them ! Some day when "life events" slow down, I "WILL" put them in better order ! :o) But, I've posted a great deal of my "research" on the Lists and Boards, so at least some of the data can be found there. :o)

Lady, I love you. I'll follow your advice. Maybe I'll find someone in the nursing home I know, but I'll just go and ask the personnel if there is someone who does not receive visitors. ALSO: If someone like YOU needs to put her genealogy papers in order "in case", then there may be hope for me. I have 7 file drawers FULL of information that nobody but me could understand - just GOTTA get busy at it. Cheers, Yolanda P.S.: NO ANSWER TO THIS IS NECESSARY - YOU HAVE ENOUGH TO DO !!

Hi Betty. You are right. Many folks move to a nursing home because their hands don't work anymore [ie arthritis] or they can't see as well. BUT they still can visit and have LOTS of stories to tell. However, when going to visit, go with caution. Keep expectations real. Don't expect to be entertained. Writing letters for them [even if they are not mailed], reading books/Bible, take a history book of your local area with pictures in it to talk about, and ask to give them water, very important for the older folks to drink. You could help at lunch to feed them and then maybe you could talk about cooking a long time ago. Lots of ideas. I was a Red Cross youth volunteer in a nursing home many moons ago. It was one of the best experiences in my life. I loved all those old folks. Donna Michigan

Yes, Betty,,,,,,, you are so right about people in nursing homes. My mom was in one the last couple years of her life, as she needed so much care, lifting, etc. that we were unable to do......also had to have someone with her all the time, day and night. I grew to know a lot of the people in that home, and so many of them were never visited by their families or friends. It was so sad. The home was a very nice and expensive place, well run and they residents had very good care and meals......but they were hungry for company and people from the "outside world." I play the piano, and I played for them sometimes. Especially at Christmas...I would go over and play the Christmas carols and songs, and they all gathered around the piano and looked so happy. If everyone who had a loved one in there had gone over to see them even once a month, they would have had a lot more company and people from the outside world to make their lives a bit more interesting. Mas -----Original Message----- From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]otsweb.com] On Behalf Of Betty Sent: Monday, October 27, 2008 7:21 AM To: [email protected] Subject: [CAN-USA-MIG] Visit Someone in a Nursing Home Hello, A few weeks ago I heard on one of the Scotland Lists that a well-liked, very helpful researcher in Australia had a sudden illness and was forced to go live in a Nursing Home. This reminded me of something I mentioned on some Lists a couple years ago: Don't forget to go visit someone in a Nursing Home !! You never know what "family story" you might hear. Or, you never know what tidbit of information you need - might be available from a resident of a Nursing Home. Next week it will be the month of November ! Time for holidays for some. Time for "family get-togethers." And, time to remember those people who can no longer attend Thanksgiving Dinners. As I mentioned a couple years ago on a List, I had asked that a "letter to the Editor" be posted in a local paper in Canada - in regards to one of my ancestors. I can't remember whether it was for Nova Scotia or New Brunswick. A few weeks later I received a hand-written letter in the mail. A resident of a Nursing Home had seen my "letter to the Editor" in her newspaper and thought she had some information which could help me in my research. She had to borrow 2 pieces of paper from a nurse, and a pen, and she had to write her letter from the arm of her wheelchair. Then she had to borrow an envelope and a stamp from a nurse, so she could mail the letter to me. As it turned out, one of the people on the List worked at that Nursing Home and knew the lady. She personally went in the next morning and told the lady that I had received the letter and enjoyed it. Another reminder? Remember that the residents of a Nursing Home -- no longer have access to their home, and their desk, nor a convenience store. And, if they want to write a letter to someone, they can't. So, when you visit a friend or loved one in a Nursing Home, please remember to bring some "writing supplies" with you, etc. For different reasons, I visited a local Nursing Home in the 1980's, and was told about a woman who would ask to be dressed on Sunday morning -- because her family was going to be coming to visit her. She would get into her wheelchair and go out to the "front door" and sit there - hours on end - waiting. This was every Sunday, and no one ever came. And, if you know of someone who has suddenly gone to live in a Nursing Home, maybe you could find out if their "family research" has gone into safe hands. I'll post a more cheerful message .. later in the day ! :o) Betty (near Lowell, MA, USA) List Administrator P.S. I had a sudden and unexpected, life-threatening illness 2 yrs. ago this month. I was told I had a "miraculous recovery" by several doctors. My boxes of genealogy papers? Only Heaven knows what would have happened to them ! Some day when "life events" slow down, I "WILL" put them in better order ! :o) But, I've posted a great deal of my "research" on the Lists and Boards, so at least some of the data can be found there. :o) When you want to respond to a query or comment posted on this List, I find it MUCH easier to post a new message -- remembering to include the SUBJECT from the post you are responding to !! Please make sure there is a SURNAME or place-name in the Subject. To search the archives: http://archiver.rootsweb.com/cgi-bin/search?path=CAN-USA-MIGRATION The information page is: http://lists.rootsweb.com/index/other/Immigration/CAN-USA-MIGRATION.html ------------------------------- To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to [email protected] with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message

Hi Betty That's sad to think of people in a nursing home in situations that you described, especially the lady who sat for hours on end at the front door waiting for someone to visit her or take her out and no one coming. I can just picture it and it brought tears to my eyes. My mom was in a nursing home and I went to see her every day. I'm glad I did. Pat ----- Original Message ----- From: "Betty" <[email protected]> To: <[email protected]> Sent: Monday, October 27, 2008 7:20 AM Subject: [SPAM?] [CAN-USA-MIG] Visit Someone in a Nursing Home > Hello, > > A few weeks ago I heard on one of the Scotland Lists that a well-liked, > very > helpful researcher in Australia had a sudden illness and was forced to go > live in a Nursing Home. > > This reminded me of something I mentioned on some Lists a couple years > ago: > Don't forget to go visit someone in a Nursing Home !! You never know > what > "family story" you might hear. Or, you never know what tidbit of > information you need - might be available from a resident of a Nursing > Home. > > Next week it will be the month of November ! Time for holidays for > some. > Time for "family get-togethers." And, time to remember those people who > can no longer attend Thanksgiving Dinners. > > As I mentioned a couple years ago on a List, I had asked that a "letter > to > the Editor" be posted in a local paper in Canada - in regards to one of my > ancestors. I can't remember whether it was for Nova Scotia or New > Brunswick. A few weeks later I received a hand-written letter in the > mail. A resident of a Nursing Home had seen my "letter to the Editor" > in > her newspaper and thought she had some information which could help me in > my > research. She had to borrow 2 pieces of paper from a nurse, and a pen, > and she had to write her letter from the arm of her wheelchair. Then > she > had to borrow an envelope and a stamp from a nurse, so she could mail the > letter to me. > > As it turned out, one of the people on the List worked at that Nursing > Home > and knew the lady. She personally went in the next morning and told the > lady that I had received the letter and enjoyed it. > > Another reminder? Remember that the residents of a Nursing Home -- no > longer have access to their home, and their desk, nor a convenience store. > And, if they want to write a letter to someone, they can't. So, when > you > visit a friend or loved one in a Nursing Home, please remember to bring > some > "writing supplies" with you, etc. > > For different reasons, I visited a local Nursing Home in the 1980's, and > was > told about a woman who would ask to be dressed on Sunday morning -- > because > her family was going to be coming to visit her. She would get into her > wheelchair and go out to the "front door" and sit there - hours on end - > waiting. This was every Sunday, and no one ever came. > > And, if you know of someone who has suddenly gone to live in a Nursing > Home, > maybe you could find out if their "family research" has gone into safe > hands. > > I'll post a more cheerful message .. later in the day ! > :o) > > Betty (near Lowell, MA, USA) > > List Administrator > > > P.S. I had a sudden and unexpected, life-threatening illness 2 yrs. ago > this month. I was told I had a "miraculous recovery" by several doctors. > My boxes of genealogy papers? Only Heaven knows what would have > happened > to them ! > > Some day when "life events" slow down, I "WILL" put them in better order > ! > :o) > > But, I've posted a great deal of my "research" on the Lists and Boards, so > at least some of the data can be found there. > :o) > > > > > When you want to respond to a query or comment posted on this List, I > find it MUCH easier to post a new message -- remembering to include the > SUBJECT from the post you are responding to !! Please make sure there > is a SURNAME or place-name in the Subject. > > To search the archives: > http://archiver.rootsweb.com/cgi-bin/search?path=CAN-USA-MIGRATION > The information page is: > http://lists.rootsweb.com/index/other/Immigration/CAN-USA-MIGRATION.html > > > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to > [email protected] with the word 'unsubscribe' without > the quotes in the subject and the body of the message > > > -- > No virus found in this incoming message. > Checked by AVG. > Version: 7.5.524 / Virus Database: 270.8.3/1744 - Release Date: 10/24/2008 > 6:08 PM > >