How Old is "Too Old"?

Seen in the hospital parking lot

I work in an environment where workers of all ages are well-integrated. I do not see much ageism from staff but patients will comment on race and age occasionally. Our newest physiotherapist is a full 40 years younger than me so I am old enough to be his grandmother. My husband was triaged in the emergency department last week by a registered nurse who is over 80 years old. She is just another member of an efficient medical team in a very busy department. I perceive my inner self to be considerably younger than my outer self. But I wonder sometimes how my younger peers perceive my age and ability.

  Stereotypical "old people" are resistant to change, critical of younger generations, and cease to be innovative. They may repeat themselves, demonstrate impaired memory, lose their frontal lobe social filters, are inattentive and talk too loudly. Their aches and pains are broadcasted to everyone in earshot and they are often demanding, self-absorbed and self-centred. Fortunately, many seniors avoid these pitfalls and are lovely people who contribute much to society as volunteers, paid workers, family supporters and friends.

Older workers can bring the strength of experience, resilience, reliability and positive mentorship to a workplace. They may have fewer competing interests compared to younger workers who sometimes juggle the stress of child-rearing and elder care along with full-time employment. 

I saw this quote on Stephen Covey's Twitter feed and copied it to give myself time to think about the profound truth that is stated so well. The older we are the easier it is to engage in "story topping" where we interrupt a story-teller with a tale from our experience that gives us the one-upmanship in the conversation. My own children have called me up on this one! Listening well sometimes leads to silent periods in conversation as we wisely process and respond to what has been said. Most people are uncomfortable with silent pauses but silence is sometimes necessary to give the speaker time to express their true emotions. It is important to practice active listening without judgment while ignoring the pop-up responses that enter our thoughts. 

I worked last weekend with the young physiotherapist who recently joined our team. The previous week had been stressful with the sudden death of my brother-in-law and my husband's potentially serious medical diagnosis. The young man respectfully asked how I was doing, stopping his task and turning toward me with empathy and genuine interest while waiting for my reply. I realized firsthand the importance of giving this kind of attention to others when I talked to them. 

My current job requires a reasonable level of physical fitness but of equal importance is the ability to be reliable, empathetic, and willing to learn and accept change while maintaining a positive attitude. I can share my experience without self-focus and encourage my teammates to work to their best potential. 

The Solace of Nature

Sandhill Cranes, part of a large flock of over 100 birds migrating south

Psalm 23 is one of the best-known scriptural texts in the Bible. I enjoy the beautiful rendition used as the theme song for the BBC sitcom The Vicar of Dibley. I include the psalm in my daily prayer time and throughout the pandemic have visualized "walking through the valley of the shadow of death" every time I enter the hospital. But the words that follow, "I will fear no evil for you are with me, your rod and your staff they comfort me", have centred me during many stressful days.

This week started with illness and death in our immediate family. Events like these happen to everyone eventually, but the accompanying shock and stress need to be processed in a healthy way. I got up after a sleepless night yesterday and decided that I needed to explore paths of righteousness with (green) pastures and still waters. I haven't had time recently to go birding and the day was perfect for exploring some local trails.

Northern Cardinal

I enjoyed seeing many regular birds that were easier to spot now the leaves are off the trees and shrubs. People leave birdseed along the trail which attracts seed-eaters in the cold weather. There were many Northern Cardinals, Blue Jays, House Finches, Chickadees, Nuthatches, Juncos and various sparrows to be found. I heard a flock of birds calling as they flew overhead and was pleasantly surprised to see a large group of Sandhill Cranes as they migrated south. What an unexpected find!

Fox Sparrow

Another unexpected find was a group of six Fox Sparrows who were singing their distinctive song in the shrubs. These birds do not nest in our region and were also migrating for the season. The birds are larger sparrows and their fox-red markings are distinctive.

American Tree Sparrow

This American Tree Sparrow is a seasonal visitor and we enjoy large numbers of them here during the winter months. They have a distinctive reddish cap and a chest dot.

Tufted Titmouse

My most exciting find was a Tufted Titmouse. These birds are part of the Chickadee family and are common south of the border. Their range is slowly moving northward. I have seen one near Lake Erie but have never seen one in our region. Their cuteness score is 15/10!!

The picture on the left is not well-focused as these birds do not sit still very long for portraits. But it shows the cartoon-like front view of the Tufted Titmouse. Five pleasurable hours passed quickly and I did feel refreshed and relaxed. We took another walk with the dog in the woods later in the day and affirm the restorative benefits of nature. 

Here is Psalm 23 in the New Living Translation I am currently reading.

Psalm 23

A psalm of David.

The Lord is my shepherd;

I have all that I need.

He lets me rest in green meadows;

he leads me beside peaceful streams.

He renews my strength.

He guides me along right paths,

bringing honour to his name.

Even when I walk

through the darkest valley,

I will not be afraid,

for you are close beside me.

Your rod and your staff

protect and comfort me.

You prepare a feast for me

in the presence of my enemies.

You honour me by anointing my head with oil.

My cup overflows with blessings.

Surely your goodness and unfailing love will pursue me

                                                                                all the days of my life,

                                                                                  and I will live in the house of the Lord forever.

Bird count for the day: 21 land species

Red-tailed hawk, Northern Harrier, Sandhill Crane, Black-capped Chickadee, Tufted Titmouse, American Tree Sparrow, Fox Sparrow, Dark-eyed Junco, House Finch, Northern Cardinal, Blue Jay, Red-breasted Nuthatch, White-breasted Nuthatch, Downy Woodpecker, Hairy Woodpecker, Red-breasted Woodpecker, American Robin, Canada Goose, House Sparrow, Rock Dove, various Gulls, 

                                                            

Winter Comes Early

First snowfall

Winter has come early in more ways than one. Our daughter sent this picture of our grandchildren as they awoke to their first snowfall this morning. They were so excited and couldn't wait to get outside before school to see if they could make a snowman. I doubt they took time to eat breakfast.

We had even more snow overnight where we live. My husband had his first cataract surgery last week and is scheduled to have his second eye done tomorrow. He is not to do any heavy lifting and being the perfectionist he is about yard work, is concerned about raking the last of our autumn leaves as well as clearing today's snow. What a difference in perspective between the young and the old! Somewhere along the line, we lose our enthusiasm for winter as we worry about driving and walking in ice and snow. Clearing our sidewalks and driveways is quite the chore too. A good friend has come over the help with our snow today and his kindness is appreciated greatly. We have many opportunities to be neighbourly in the winter months.

I have worked through the Covid-19 pandemic, but I have never seen the hospital system so overwhelmed as it is this month. We have many adult patients admitted with severe Influenza A as the flu season has hit hard and early. Covid and RSV are prevalent as well. I had an unfortunate patient this week from a retirement home who tested positive for Covid and Influenza A at the same time. Staff members and their families are sick so it is a struggle to cover shifts adequately. We do not have a pediatric unit where I work but children's hospitals are also overwhelmed with respiratory illnesses across the country. 

Yesterday, hospital managers distributed certificates and enamel pins to employees who worked through the pandemic. It is good to recognize work done well, but staff continue to work in a challenging environment with drug and personnel shortages, bulging emergency and medical wards, and the inability to take earned vacations which increases the risk of burn-out. 

I am thankful for the health care we have in Canada. My husband is getting his eye surgery in a timely way with the costs covered by OHIP. People needing urgent treatment are triaged appropriately most of the time. Yet we must do our best to protect our public system by taking more responsibility for our own health. So many conditions I see are lifestyle related and preventable. Wearing masks indoors will help slow the transmission of many respiratory illnesses. Flu vaccination clinics have rolled out and Covid boosters are available. Vaccinated people are getting Covid but generally, their symptoms are not severe. I am making an extra effort to eat well, exercise and get enough sleep to boost my immune system. We are all tired of pandemic restrictions and compliance with protective recommendations has dropped off quickly. I stopped wearing a mask after having Covid this summer, but am going back to wearing one this winter.

It may be a very long season and I am going to pursue the joy of discovery that comes naturally to my grandchildren as much as possible.

Reimagining Remembrance Day

I worked on November 11th in a hospital with an overflowing emergency department which created pressure to get inpatients discharged as quickly as possible. I was in the ER at 11:00 a.m. when the switchboard operator started the announcement for a moment of silence. The PA system malfunctioned and the announcement didn't air. A medical team worked on a patient who just coded, another patient I had a referral for appeared to be close to death, the family hovering at the side of the stretcher. Pausing for a moment of reflection would not have happened even if the switchboard made an announcement.

I have participated in many Remembrance Day ceremonies over the years and have great respect for the men and women who served our country. My grandfather was the doctor and coroner for his town and it was his job to deliver telegrams informing families of the death of a son, husband or brother in  WW2. Mom used to accompany him on some of these calls. My parents were children between the ages of seven and thirteen years during this war and were old enough to be aware of the events in Europe and the losses in their community. When I was growing up there were a good number of WW1 veterans and many WW2 veterans. My best friend's father lost his arm in battle in Italy. But today, there are very few World War veterans remaining and time has distanced the personal connections to these wars. 

There is no glory in war. H.G Wells coined the sardonic description of World War 1 that called it "the war to end wars". We know that there will be no war to end all wars as long as the earth exists. There is no end to the lust for power, the quest for economic resources, and the desire to dominate groups of people. Conflicts have been neverending in my lifetime. The Baby Boomer generation protested the war in Vietnam which turned out to be an unwinnable conflict, just like the more recent invasion of Afghanistan. The current war in Ukraine reminds us how civilians suffer and die as well as soldiers. The political polarization in America which is present to a lesser degree in Canada, reveals the societal fractures and power struggles that lead to armed conflicts. 

I made the decision not to wear a poppy a few years ago. I memorized John McCrea's poem in school and visited his home which is now a museum in Guelph ON. McCrea would never have envisioned his Flanders Fields poppies becoming a powerful international symbol which is trademarked in Canada by the Royal Canadian Legion. Their website states it is their duty "to preserve the Poppy as a sacred symbol of Remembrance of our Veterans". The Legion is not a charity and does not have to provide a detailed accounting of how the poppy funds are used. They challenge anyone who modifies or uses the poppy symbol without their approval. Their disapproval of white poppies as a symbol of peace or the modification of the annoying straight pin is well-reported. Fewer people are wearing them each year.

Remembering must lead to reflection and change that works for peace. WW1 was a geopolitical conflict of Empires during the height of colonialism. The goals of the war were not necessarily noble yet there was an enormous loss of life. The Treaty of Versailles and the Great Depression set the stage for events that led to WW2. The end of WW2 opened the stage for The Cold War and conflicts in the Middle East. Nazi Germany was defeated but peace was and continues to be elusive. 

As younger generations mark Remembrance Day it is important to refocus on the world as it is today, taking lessons from the wars of the last century as a way to recognize pitfalls in our present and future experience. Canada is home to many immigrants who identify with cultures oppressed by colonialism. They are unlikely to identify with our current Remembrance Day focus. The human cost of war is incalculable and the price paid by civilians and refugees is unimaginable in my first-world experience. We are privileged to know a young family from Ukraine who arrived in Canada as refugees in Poland, sponsored by our church. Listening to their experience has been sobering and enlightening.

I respect the opinions of those who may not agree with me, but it is important to move away from the poppy as a sacred symbol, a "Gideon's ephod" so to speak, and look for ways to work for peace and unity in our homes, communities, country and world today.  

Postscript: I appreciate this comment from my good friend whose father served in WW2. 

"It is hard to explain to some people how one can honour those who fought in WWI and WWII without sanctioning the actual wars. I know that my pacifism is shaped by reading Virginia Woolf and others (Woolf states, in a 1940 essay, that unless we can imagine peace we will be condemned to war, and all of its senseless destruction, forever)
I teach World War I poetry (by Wilfrid Owen, Sigfried Sassoon, Isaac Rosenberg) and try to show my students how the soldier-poets condemned the very destruction for which they were responsible... Have you ever read Pat Barker's WWI trilogy? Regeneration is the first and the best volume, I think." LJH