Elder Care Continued

Elder Care in Bondeau

This afternoon I visited an elderly woman who is confined to bed.  I have known her from my first visits to Bondeau.  She and her family are faithful church members.  They are one of the more prosperous families, as they own their own plot of land behind the parish, on which family members have built small houses.  Our elderly lady lives in a tiny but sturdy two room structure with a small front porch.  I arrived to find her small front room filled with people.  There were her grandchildren, great grandchildren, daughter, son-in-law out on the porch, and our parish nurse, Natacha.  “Mama” was on a small bed, barely large enough to hold her.  There were bundles of clothes that she used as pillows.  Her back rest was a small child’s chair turned upside down arranged in such a way that she could lean back in the bed.  After we visited a while, I prayed in English, then we all joined singing familiar church hymns.  Nurse Natacha prayed and then rubbed down “Mama’s” back with a special herbal lotion.  Mama lay back and closed her eyes while her daughter stood over her shooing flies away with a head scarf.

I can’t help but make comparisons as I visit elderly here in Bondeau where the family is always gathered around, friends stop by, and everyone chips in to care for the elderly person.  I visit so many elderly in pristine nursing homes who never see a family member until they are on their death bed.  So alone and lonely!  If only we could have a little of both…better medical care for elderly in Bondeau and more family involvement for elderly in Boca, elderly in both places would have a better end-of-life experience.

June 28, 2012

Late yesterday afternoon the children told me that “Gran” died.  I saw people hurrying up the trail toward Gran’s house, which is located just behind the Presbytery.  Our children asked for permission to go and pay their respects.  All the people here at the Presbytery left to visit the family.  There was a special prayer service in the church led by lay leader, Wilcaire, which I attended.  While in church I saw the morgue vehicle come to take the body.  After church and when things settled down with the children, I walked the short trail to visit the family and pay my respects.  Family and friends were all gathered around.  The room where I had previously visited Gran had been emptied and there was a small fire in the center of the room on the floor.  I asked Gran’s daughter about the fire.  She said they burned herbs as “parfum”.  People continued to visit the family, arriving on foot and on motorcycle.  It seems that the entire community of Bondeau came out to extend condolences.