By Tish Davis
Concord Township, Ohio, USA
The African Violets are about to bloom on the sill next to her bed. She taught me how to split these plants in two and how to stimulate the roots by pouring water into the dish that holds the clay pot. Sometimes when I visit, she cuts a slit in a small square of heavy paper and then inserts a single leaf. She always asks me to add the water to the glass jar.
On this first Mother’s Day without my mom, I try to surprise this other one. After the nurse wheels my friend to the dining room for lunch, I hang a hummingbird feeder in the tree outside her window. It takes a while, but the tiny birds finally arrive. Hovering in place, they sip from small plastic cups.
They can even fly backward . . .
light rain
the cemetery vase
also finds me
Author’s Note: Social isolation is a growing public health concern that affects many older people including residents in Long Term Care facilities. Globally, up to 50% of older persons over 60 years of age are at risk of experiencing social isolation and the potential for accompanying mental health issues. 1
Last month, the White House released its first-ever staffing minimums for nursing homes that receive federal funding. The new staffing rules require each resident to receive at least 3.48 hours of care per day. They also require that care facilities have a registered nurse on site 24/7. This is going to present a challenge for states like Kentucky who’ve faced nursing home staff shortages since the pandemic. 2
1. National Library of Medicine: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8236667
2. Spectrum News: https://spectrumnews1.com/ky/louisville/news/2024/05/07/new-nursing-home-staffing-minimum