Dementia has to be one of the hardest things to deal with as an individual, and as a family, as well. Life can be such a challenge for those who suffer from diseases like dementia and Alzheimer’s; not only do you lose your memory and grip on life, those struggling with the illness sometimes cease to remember their loved ones, and that in itself is devastating.
Last week, Lillie Downing took her grandmother to a local nursing home that specializes in dementia — her grandmother has suffered from it for years now. All Lillie wanted to ensure was that her gran is safe and well-looked-after when she is at this facility. She was not disappointed when she got there.
Lillie’s grandma immediately met a woman at the nursing home who gave her such a warm welcome. To show the world how happy she was that her gran had made a friend, and to share with the world the kind of hospitality she received, Lillie shared a picture of her grandma and her new friend, on her Twitter account. What’s so heartfelt about the photo is that the two women are holding hands while they watch TV.
As the girl recounted the events, we’re sure that everyone was in tears. What Lillie and her gran experienced at the hands of this stranger at the nursing home, really cheered everyone up. You see, the woman that they met there shared the same name as Lillie’s gran. That’s what made the two ladies strike an instant chord.
She took to Twitter share the photo of the two ladies as well as the conversation that they had: “Took my Nan to her new care home today that’s for people with dementia, she met a lady who had the same name as her and they held hands the whole time they watched TV. The lady on the left (Gladys) repeatedly said to my Nan, ‘Don’t worry, you’ve got me now.'”
This story is an excellent example of what happens when we take out some time to make others feel comfortable. Gladys (the woman who befriended Lillie’s grandma) probably has dementia too, but that didn’t stop her from taking into consideration that everyone needs a helping hand to feel like they belong.
Do you have any heartfelt stories that restore your faith in humanity? We’d love to read about them in the comments below!
