So the graduates are walking and getting diplomas, The days are getting longer, warmer, and increased likelihood of thunderstorms. Looks like we are officially hitting summer. Well one significant holiday in the skilled nursing world is there also……Father’s dgay.
Always seems a little more mellow than Mother’s Day
Even with activities planned to celebrate the Father’s and like always more family traffic to see dad….. it usually seems a little more mellow.
Less Father’s in a facility
Some of the feeling of mellowness might stem from the fact that there are usually a smaller population of Fathers v. Mothers. Looking at usual statistics men do have a shorter life expectancy than women do. The typical average from many studies puts men about 5 years less than women in the US.
It does seem that on the average, at least in the building I have been working in, that women easily out number men on our usual census. I am sure there are many reasons for this. It could be higher prevalence of cardiovascular disease or more cancers from work exposure in factories and textile mills. Of course there are always more prevalence in poor life choices from the male persuasion. You don’t usually hear the joke of “hold my beer” from a lady.
Same as Mother’s day, mixed emotions run the gambit
As we look at the holiday, it is easy to see how the same mixed emotions that come up at Mother’s day come up on this day also. For some it is pure happiness, while for others it can be a sad time.
It could be happiness to see dad and all that goes along with it. This could be grandkids or even great grandkids. It could be a time of celebration and presents.
Other times it can be a sad time. It could be the reminder of how vicious dementia can be. It could be a reminder of father’s and spouses that have passed on previously.
It can also be a time of happiness for seeing family that is not seen frequently and the quick onset of sadness when they have to leave.
So what can we do as Therapists?
We need to be aware and compassionate about the feeling our residents start to express. We need to stay in tune with how they react regardless of if they are male or female. We need to be a good listener and an asset to them to help with their feelings while trying to regain focus on the task at hand of rehab. We need to continue to press them forward to help them achieve their goals. You can be the deference.
