This morning I sat quietly in the garden, just watching the Life at Jura.

The residents came out one by one, looking for a sunny spot, after the chill of winter slowly slipping away.  A wheelchair is pushed outside, and another and another, with a happy face greeting the peacocks showing off. Umbrellas go up for a welcoming shade later on, Sunglasses and hats are being handed out. And then the mugs with sweet cold juice and glasses are placed on the tables to quench the thirst later on. The clock smiles 10hoo!

Silently a couple of girls slip away, hunger pains from a long morning calling them  for a well deserved break since 07hoo at work. But some of them still have to wait a while longer, still on duty to keep an eye on the residents and to keep them safe.

These are the Angles of Jura Care….always embracing our Elders.

Activities are great stimulation for people with forms of Dementia

I’ve always admired them for their gentleness, and kindness and humour to go through every day, but today I watched them as if I am not involved.

I heard them making plans this morning!

Some of our residents are in need of warm winter clothes, a pair of slippers, some underwear or socks…..

They were making plans!

They started baking cup cakes in the kitchen! They got a lady baking Roti’s! They were entrepreneurs making plans to get money for some of our people!

R5 a cup cake! R30 a Roti!

And they started collecting money among themselves and our community! Almost R800 later….

They bought a warm winter jacket for some one, a pair of warm pajamas for another!

Nature tends to soothe and pacify the elderly in a comforting way

I sat there with my heart filled with so much love, watching these formidable women. They always smile, even if I can see a worried face when they come to work. They love, even if I hear a sad story from home. They care for our residents even with a sick child at home. They love…

They get up early in the mornings, still too dark to be safe. Although we equipped them with pepper spray, they are still so vulnerable. Only yesterday two of them were mugged, everything was taken from them. But they came to work! Even their food for the day was taken, their handbags, cell phones, warm jackets! The one Angel smiled and said: “At least I still got my pen!”

And later during the day, when the sun is setting, and our people living with Dementia are tired, anxious and frustrated, they rub the red flesh where they’ve been pinched, or the soft flesh where they’ve been hit by someone with something. Or they bend their heads down to avoid eye contact to avoid provoking someone who keeps on shouting and swearing.

 

And when 19hoo is nearing they are exhausted, not only physically, but drained mentally and especially emotionally…but still they will end the day, seeing to all the needs, and while they doing that, their voices will fill the home praising the Lord!

The sore footed women are going to their homes, to be wives and mothers again, hoping they will get home safe, only to get up again tomorrow morning to be at Jura at 07h00 with their loving hearts again! And more Mothers and wives clock in at 19h00, leaving their families to sleep alone, while they watch over our people at Jura, some of them sleeping, some walking around the whole night.

I thank these women every day, with my open arms, pulling them close to my heart, trying to give them a little bit of strength to love the Elders in our Home!

They are the Angels of Jura Care!