Kay will be 95 on December 20th, 2011!
One Day On Earth 11.11.11 from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.
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| Perth Community Care Centre |
She writes and recites her poetry and she paints. She has an incredible attitude towards life and I love her!
She receives excellent care in her long-term care. There is always someone there to help her, or her husband. He has Alzheimer's Disease, and sometimes he is 'very much himself', she tells me! She tells a charming story in the video.
I learned so much about myself and about others. Things I hadn't realized when I was nursing.
About being in long-term care,
"You have to realize it's not the end of your life; it's a part of it."
She was getting extra home support, but caring for her husband began to be too much. They had Meals on Wheels for awhile, but the demands of caring for loved ones with dementia, as we all know, can be overwhelming.
She recognizes her health issues, and her vision challenges,
She learned to paint at age 75. She writes and recites fabulous poems.
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| Kay's painting table |
*Founded in 2008, One Day on Earth's first media creation event occurred on 10.10.10. The collaboration was the first ever simultaneous filming event occuring in every country of the world. It created a unique geo-tagged video archive as well as an upcoming feature film.
7 comments:
Isn't she amazing? I really enjoyed this, Jenn. I just wish Kay had worn a little microphone because her voice, although quite deep, is also very soft.
I'm sure you're looking forward to her birthday. Please tell her your blog-followrs are wishing her well as she turns 95.
Kay, Alberta, Canada
An Unfittie’s Guide to Adventurous Travel
Tell Kay that I really like her poetry. Great sense of humor.
I think writing is highly underrated for what it can do for a person.
It was a difficult video. The machines in the room constantly go. And hubby snores from time to time!
Kay L., I don't have access to anything but my little Sony videocam. I have since found out that at age 64 Kay was in local theatre productions. She is enjoying the freedom of living in LTC, she needs not worry about her husband, making meals, housekeeping. It is difficult in a group setting, but gives the most bang for the buck, as providing home care, she told me, was getting too difficult. Ontario healthcare cannot give everyone a full-time PSW, or nursing care. She is in one the the good LTC centres we never hear about in the shrillness of media who decry the LTC system.
I love Kay, too. What an inspiration that woman is. And, I was thinking, well, I'm 77, gonna be 78 soon, gotta hurry and get everything done, rushing, rushing. This woman knows the true meaning of life and living it to the fullest. Thanks for sharing her with us.
Jenn this is a wonderful,inspiring post, I enjoyed her poems although there are some hard truths in there.
It's amazing what this grand old lady does, Jenn! You made a terrific video with her! I like her paintings too! I wish you a great 2012!
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