–bonding with the elderly at the Palms

FOOD is placed on the table, the elderly sit around, chatting about yesteryear, awaiting the invitation to eat as a radio in the corner plays Christmas Carols.

This is how life at the Palms Geriatric Home on Brickdam usually is on Christmas Day, according to Amanda Mendonca, a patient-care assistant who is spending her ninth Christmas at the facility.

She will be working the night shift on Christmas Day, and while she would prefer being with her family, she said she has a duty to fulfill.

Mendonca said that working at the Palms, looking after the elderly can be challenging but it’s a job she enjoys. “I do enjoy it, especially around this time of year. This is the time when they feel sad,” she said, a hint of melancholia creeping into her voice as she spoke.
She noted that each year, the situation at the Palms on Christmas Day is almost the same. Many of the residents would reflect on life and share stories of their good and not so good times, especially Christmas stories. They would share those stories with each other on most occasions, and also with the staff.

Among her many duties on that special day is to put a smile on the faces of the residents. The mood is usually quiet, she said. The nurses normally share breakfast, and the residents would sit around and wait their turn when the food is served.

Some residents are abandoned by their relatives, so at Christmastime, the staff would ensure that they always have company.
On Christmas Day, Guyanese traditional foods such as pepperpot and bread, cake and are usually on the table at breakfast and at lunchtime. Some folks listen to the songs on the radio, while others prefer the interviews and other live radio programmes.

“Sometimes I do feel sorry,” she said, “because you have moments where you think, ‘When I get older, I want something different.’” But some residents do get the odd visitors on Christmas Day.

Mendonca said the institution can do with a little extra help with caring for the elderly, as with only two nurses per shift, it can be tough going at times. “We do provide as much care as we can to residents,” she said, as she prepared for her next shift.