I was on a shoot the other day at a seniors activity center where all the residents were suffering from dementia, Alzheimers and various brain traumas. One thing that was quite evident was how our brains seem to revert back to early adolesence as we get older. As I entered the room, there was group of oldsters throwing a bouncy ball back and forth and then playing a bowling game. The nurses all seemed to have that tone in their voices like when they speak to children. You know, that higher pitched, soft, over-animated voice that makes you want to punch them(Think Barney). "GOOD CATCH GRACE!! CAN YOU THROW TO STEW!!! WOW!!GREAT CATCH STEW!! HELEN, DO HAVE TO GO POTTY?!! Some of the patients seemed to like it as they were beaming from ear to ear while others just sat in silence, staring-out with a kind of hollow look. I kept wondering what they were thinking. I imagined it was something like "Why did I have to be carted to this miserable place and be treated like an infant and play these silly games and not be able to tell anyone I just want to be left alone"
I hope when I reach my Golden years I'll just accept it. Right now it's a terrifying thought.
2 comments:
Strong assignment. Must have been kind of tough to take on this assignment. I think about what it's going to be like when I get older because I have no children to care for me. We'll find out. :)
Old age is a passing treasure. They lived in a different era.
Sometimes I think about what I would like to ask my grandparents, if they were alive today. These images made me think of the twilight zone episode where the stubborn old man refused to be silly with his peers, and then realized by the sounds and laughter, his friends had turned into little children and ran off to play kick the can.
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