Open Book's Five Things Literary series

Five Things Literary is a series that gives our readers a sense of literary life in the author's community. You can read what others have done here.

Jennifer Jilks
Living and dying with dignity : A daughter's journey through long-term care /Jilks, Jennifer A. 2008. I live near Perth, Ontario. Cottage Country in south eastern Ontario.

Heritage Perth

Perth, in Lanark County, has a strong number of volunteers who assist others in the community. As a hospice volunteer, I have found many who give back a little of what they have been given.

1. Perth, established in 1816, is a delightful town. Just out of town, I go to the forest for inspiration for my blogs; where the birds, the bears and the bees, provide much for my photography and writing.

2. We live in a community which embraces authors, artisans, actors, artists, agriculture and those who enjoy rural life. We have many festivals to celebrate both author, agriculture and artisan.

• Perth Garlic Festival 
• Stewart Park Music Festival 
• Festival of the Maples
• Perth Studio Tour
• Perth Fair
• Classic Theatre Festival

3. The local library has many great programs, including children's programs to encourage readers. They are most supportive of all ages, and allowed me to host a 'How to Get Published' workshop!

4. I've been working on a list of Ottawa Valley authors. Living in the Ottawa Valley, we have a strong community, with many close ties. Only an hour from Ottawa, many have cottages here, where shallow lakes host much wildlife. I call it Cottage Country Southeastern Ontario!

Local bookstores have been good to local authors.

James Bartleman at a book signing in Perth.
He and I traded books! A great way to read other writers

For example:
James Bartleman

• Raisin Wine: A Boyhood in a Different Muskoka
/ 2007
• Out of Muskoka / 2006
• Rollercoaster : my hectic years as Jean Chrétien's diplomatic advisor, 1994-1998 / 2005

5. We have many strong women in Perth. Kay Devlin, 95, a resident of PCCC, is one of the wisest women in this community. Retired nurse, farmer, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, she has the wisdom and strength that life experience has 
One Day On Earth 11.11.11 from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.granted to those who embrace it.
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 is quick to let you know that her poetry is inspired by her current life situation, but she doesn't let that limit her mind. Her body has been limited in many ways, with aging.
She recognizes her health issues, and her vision challenges, but doesn't let that stop her.
She learned to paint at age 75. She writes and recites fabulous poems.

Thursday I was in A Victorian Fashion Show!

How did they do this?

I was volunteering in my local long-term care, PCCC. We had Nancy, from Kitchener arrived with many gowns she has made. She participates in 1812 re-enactments, and has created some amazing costumes.

I demonstrated the corset!
It is awful to wear. I truly couldn't move well. Nancy put it on me while all chuckled.

Nancy explained how early they put these on young girls.
Once puberty hit, they were of marriageable age and corsets were worn well before this.

They only bathed once a year, as Nancy explains in the video. Daddy first, then the boys, then the girls.
Hence, "Don't throw the baby out with the bathwater!'
They didn't wash clothes very frequently, either.


At the long-term care where I volunteer, we had a re-enactment expert in to show us the dresses she has created. Nancy, from Kitchener, shared her expertise and her gowns with us.

Isn't this fun!

My friend, Kay Devlin, modelling!

Some residents, spouses of residents, and me, had such a grand time.

PCCC has two cats.
This one sat on my bag!

Celebration of a life worth living

Here is the video I created for 11/11/11 *One Day On Earth!
Kay will be 95 on December 20th, 2011!


One Day On Earth 11.11.11 from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

Perth Community Care Centre

This is a visit with my friend, Kay Devlin. She is 95-years-old. She lives in Perth Community Care Centre, with her husband. She is the chair of the Resident Council and attends Family Council meetings.

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 is quick to let you know that her poetry is inspired by her current life situation, but she doesn't let that limit her mind. Her body has been limited in many ways, with aging.
She recognizes her health issues, and her vision challenges,
She learned to paint at age 75. She writes and recites fabulous poems.

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.

Remembrance Day 11/11/11

I have spent many years, 25 to be exact, as a teacher. On Remembrance Day every school with whom I have been at on Nov. 11th, did a fabulous job putting together a significant, moving ceremony. In Ottawa, with the federal civil service closed for the day, we often have a large crowd in our schools. The downtown ceremony is very moving.

We spend the week ahead teaching students about war, death and dying. They would participate in a wide variety of events, as well as putting their thoughts to paper. In our Language Arts programs, we integrated what we already knew about family members involved in World Wars, and brought in family stories of loved ones present or passed over.
I have taught students who have lived through the Gulf War, fled to the hills to escape war in Afghanistan, and others who were Vietnamese Boat People.

My most eventful activity involved writing a song dedicated to our Peacekeepers. You can hear it here: CanadianMilitary.mov

BUt this year, I'm doing something different. I made a video about my friend in long-term care.
Kay Devlin is a fabulous woman, 94 years old. She is a resident in Perth Community Care Centre.
This is for the One Day on Earth project.

These are my friends in the long-term care where I visit weekly. Art said he hoped his wife didn't see him holding my pink rabbit! This rabbit is battery-operated and sings and dances!

 





Stay tuned for my video.

Dr. Brian Goldman in Perth, Ontario

Dr. Goldman with me at our home
He interviewed me for an upcoming
White Coat Black Art Program

Having written a book about Ontario healthcare, Living and Dying in Dignity; A daughter's journey, Dr. Brian Goldman decided to interview me. As he said to Chris Must, after much nagging! Truthfully, I didn't nag, just offered to trade books with him! Also, posted comments on his White Coat Black Art (WCBA) blog, twitter feed @WCBADoctorBrian, and radio webpage.

I also write about Ontario healthcare;
some of my most recent posts:

• ☛Long-term care litigation
• ☛Advance Care Planning
• ☛Seniors: Tired of being blamed for health care costs?
• ☛Caregivers need information
• ☛PSW Scope of Practice: Mission Creep

Photo: courtesy Chris Must, EMC

I have written my book from the perspective as an adult child, and as a volunteer, as many of my blog friends know. Dedicated to improving the healthcare system, and finding those cracks that need to be filled, I regaled him with stories of caring for my family.

It's funny how I expected more equipment than he brought; a small tape recorder with ear phones and great microphone. But then technology has certainly improved since I began teaching and integrating technology into my pedagogical practices.

Lunch at Fiddleheads - view from the
C. Douglas Cavers Bridge of Code Park.

We had our interview in my dining room. I was mortified as the twins, just 3 months old, leapt up onto the table as we recorded. We both smiled, but kept on trucking as Buster rustled Dr. Brian's papers, then Felix tried to eat the microphone cord.
He is the consumate professional on radio and in the ER.

We took him in to lunch at Fiddleheads, a walk around the Tay River and Stewart Park! Fortunately, the rude men behind me turned off their vulgar video while we ate lunch and they downed beers #2 & 3. As puerile as my twins, they were.

It may all be water under the bridge!

Dr. Brian was impressed with Perth, the river, and the beauty of the town - and he has travelled all around the world, visiting cousins relatives in South America, as well as travelling  around Canada for his radio show.

He is officially an Emergency Room physician, but also a CBC Medical Journalist. Married, with two children, 9 and 13 years old, he works shifts at Mount Sinai hospital in the ER, as well as working as a medical journalist at CBC five days/week.

many visit the Tay via Stewart Park

Then we toured the Meals on Wheels preparation site at Lanark Lodge, chatted with volunteers, and accompanied us on a Meals drop-off. Then I took Dr. Brian into Perth Community Care Centre, to record me as I did my regular volunteer visiting with the residents. Coincidentally, Mary was one of the recreation aides working that day. It was her sister who was the dispatcher at Lanark Lodge for Meals on Wheels. It is a small town, with many involved.

View of the Tay River from the bridge

We showed him the protocol for dispatching and delivering Meals on Wheels, he ran an audiotape. Wonderful volunteers who do a great service to 'old people'. [Don't criticize the coffee, you'll be old and weak someday!]

Pets and puzzles - good friends!

Perth Community Care Centre

Meals on Wheels meal