Story about old lady at hotel (Kinda Sad)

[hotelslave]

Hey Every one. This may not be the appropriate place for this but it's happening at work and need to write about it.
For the four years I have worked here this elderly lady has stayed at the hotel often. It used to be just during the winter when we were supposed to get snow. Then it became she came when the weather was bad or she just wanted a weekend away from her house. Now for the past month or so she has been staying at the hotel. The lady is a widow probably in her late 60's has no family left. She has told us that she stays with us so that in case if any thing happens to her that we will find her and she won't be alone. I work at the front desk so I usually see people come and go. I will go days with out seeing her. We now call her once a day to check up on her. When you do see her it's very obvious that she has lost a lot of weight and is very pale and is kind of hunched over. We called her on day of christmas party and invited her to join us for a yummy lunch and a fun time. But she said she was too sick. She has been sick for awhile but we dont know with what.

Things like this makes me glad that I am close to my sisters and niece. I can't imagine what it is like not having family or people calling you or seeing you. I am not a very religious person but I pray for her every night.

[PorkChop]

The poor lady... I'm feeling so sad for her. It is so sweet you all check up on her everyday.
At our store, we have a nice old man who buys lottery tickets. We call him Pappy. He has lost weight recently and has come done with a really bad cold. He came in last night and I asked him if he is feeling any better. He said he is getting worse and feels that he may be dying. I told him to go please see his doctor. He is very stubborn and he won't go. He has his daughter-in-law and granddaughter living with him, so he is not alone.

[AirHostess]

That is so sad I'm glad you're keeping an eye on her, that's really nice.

I feel sorry for poor old people by themselves.

[AFpheonix]

We've lost several long time customers over the years. I guess it comes with the territory.
Just had another couple of them go on hospice care lately too. Another sweet old man is on oxygen now, and a little girl who had an organ transplant of some kind, judging by the drugs she was getting, passed away last month at the age of 6.


So now when people come in and act terribly about the silliest little things, I bite my tongue (mostly) and remember all the lovely patients I've had who really have had genuinely bad days and were always so nice to us.

[Ree]

How sad to be so alone in the world.

I hope I never end up like that.

That's definitely one of the great things about having so many siblings, and the fact that we all stay so close.

[protege]

My grandmother is somewhat like that. Because she no longer drives, she rarely goes outside of the house. She does though, have plenty of friends to check up on her...and has hired someone to help her out during the day. Because she's losing her independence lately, she's a bit depressed

[Ree]

Awww. Hugs to Grandma.

[Seshat]

Meals on Wheels, service clubs like Lions and Rotary, and many religious organisations, will have ways for people like that to have visitors and be checked on. Some do home visits, Meals on Wheels of course provides regular healthy food (and visits, as part of the delivery).

Depending on the local government structure, there may be a government organisation which does it. (Where I am, the 'health' arm of the local government is responsible for providing carers and community visits to the disabled, elderly and infirm.)

It's sad that there's so much need for this sort of thing that so many places will do it - but at least the help is there.

[protege]

Awww. Hugs to Grandma.

Thanks Ree. I appreciate that.

Part of the problem now though, is she's helped many people out for years...that she gets upset when she has to rely on others. She sometimes gets upset about it...especially after being independent all those years. Because of that, she's reluctant to ask for help, even if she needs it.

I stop by her place on weekends to help her pay bills, or to take her grocery shopping. Her friends take her to church and doctor's appointments. She has a woman come in during the day to clean the house (dishes, floors, laundry, etc.) and Meals on Wheels stops by with food.

With me, it's a bit different. She not only let me live with her when I was in school, helped me get a car, etc. so I think it's only fair that I help her out. I have to be careful not to upset her--even though she's 90 and survived a serious car accident awhile back--she could probably still kick my ass

[Ree]

You are one very special person, protege.

Your Grandma is lucky to have you.
She sounds like a really special lady.

[Becks]

Wow. It must be so horrifically sad to be old and alone, relying on strangers to check up on you. I sincerely hope that I never end up like that.

[protege]

You are one very special person, protege.

Thanks again

She's not completely alone though--several family friends have told her to call if she needs help with something. For years, one of her neighbors would come down with a backhoe and clear out her driveway and parking area. Then they'd shovel and salt the sidewalks. They wouldn't take a penny for that...which drove her nuts. They'd simply say that neighbors were supposed to help each other.

It truly sucks though, that some older people are alone...whether they've pissed off their family, or simply want to be alone.

[toomanycalls1]

Years ago

When I was just out of high school I worked at a nice hotel and we had an older lady who lived there basically. She had a deal worked out with the management. She didn't want to live in a retirement home and could still get around.

I got her a card and small present for her birthday and Christmas and invited her for Christmas and Thanksgiving with my family. She got to know all of us and even after I left there as an employee we stayed in touch.

She died 10 years ago and I went to her funeral.

A week later I got a call from her attorney. She had left her entire estate to me. Was about 10 thousand dollars. She knew it was my dream to finish my degree and thanks to her I did.