Palm Lake Care Residents' Stories
Hi Jacinta and Sue
You will recall that we visited Palm Lake Care Beachmere with Aunty Mavis on Monday 1st June. Betty and Jenny and Ron had decided that we would have the “It’s Time” talk with her the following Thursday. However, following the tour, and a happy lunch at Betty’s, Ron raised his eyebrow at Jenny and Betty, both of whom nodded. The talk followed: not “would you like to go,” but rather “you are going for 4 week’s holiday and, if you like it there you can stay.” “Oh, but I’m not ready. I’ll know when I’m ready”… we are sure you have seen it all before! In the ensuing days we calmly repeated what was going to happen, hoping that neither of the other two options would phone with an offer of a permanent bed. (In fact, just 6 days before she was due to come to you, one of them did: we had to make a decision, by that afternoon, and she had to be there in two days time. Ahh, no thanks!!!) We three cousins had already agreed that, subject to any vehement objection from Aunty Mavis, Palm Lake was the permanent answer.
So, she arrived with you on Tuesday 23rd, “only for 4 weeks holiday, and then I can go back home.” In a phone call on Wednesday, she was speaking of “the place that might become my home.” On Thursday, she showed Jenny around “my new home.” By Saturday, the message was “I want to stay here, provided I can have Room 81 as my home.” Not bad for less than a week’s work by you and the wonderful staff! Thank you so much.
Jacinta, Betty was sold before we even met you. The clincher for Jenny and Ron was when you repeated, a couple of times, “Mavis this will be your home, and we will come to your home to care for you.” What a fantastic approach. Sue, as the implementer of that undertaking, congratulations … and thank you to you and the lovely staff (and is there any particular reason for the number of Kiwi accents???!!!) for welcoming Mavis into her new home so wonderfully. We are all relieved at how quickly Mavis has settled, and become determined to see out the next chapter of her life at Palm Lake Care Beachmere.
One again, congratulations and many thanks.
Warm regards
Marjorie and Ron