Seacliff Living November 2022
We strictly follow HIPAA regulations. The situations are real. All names included in my writings have been substituted to fully protect the identities of our clients and staff.
One day back in 2014, one of my caregivers called me. She asked me whether I was aware that “Sam” used to be an avid surfer. In my visits with Sam, this had never come up. But it was logical given that this is Huntington Beach, California. It’s the land of sunshine and surf! But Sam had never mentioned it before.
Sam was one of our many clients looking for help in order to stay in his home for as long as possible. He was somewhat ambulatory, smart, and full of life. But his body no longer cooperated – he could walk but had mobility issues due to his diagnosis. Sam loved to chat and was full of stories of his past. His family often visited but they were often busy and Sam didn’t want to burden them with trying to help him get to the place he loved most – the beach.
Back to my amazing caregiver. She called to let me know that he was once an avid surfer and loved the beach, surf, and sunshine. She asked whether it was ok for her to take Sam there. Sam was afraid of falling. He used a walker in the home and always used a wheelchair when he was out of the home. “Sally”, our caregiver, expressed that she worked out how to get him down to the beach and keep him safe. It sounded wonderful and I said yes.
Sally called me later to fill me in. Sally took Sam to the beach. He asked Sally to help him sit in the sand rather than in his wheelchair. Sally shared that Sam, who normally never went more than a minute without talking and telling stories, sat quietly. He pushed his feet into the warm sand, smelled the ocean air, and watched the surf, seagulls, and the children playing. For almost an hour, Sam never said a word.
This became Sally and Sam’s weekly ritual – every Wednesday (weather permitting), Sam and Sally went to the beach. Sally prepared a sandwich to Sam’s liking, and they sat in the sand and ate their lunch, Sam pushed his feet into the warm sand and sat quietly reflecting on his glory days in the surf. He relished these days – shared them with me on one of my later visits.
Sam passed a year or so later. On one of the last occasions that I saw him, his words to me were a simple “thank you for all that you did”. But it wasn’t me. Sally was amazing, compassionate and in this for all the right reasons. She gave him dignity, compassion and the ability to experience life to the best of his abilities. Sometimes it’s the small things that bring joy to my clients, sometimes it’s the small stuff that matters most. Sitting in the sand for most of us is small. Sitting in the sand for Sam was not small – it brought back the joy of his youth. For Sam, it wasn’t small.
Lori Kewalram has owned BrightStar Care of Huntington Beach, a premium provider of home care, for nine years. Her goal is to be a resource to the community.
Please call her with your questions at 714-861-4101 or email: lori.kewalram@brightstarcare.com.
