Day 1,031 in the Nanny June Care Home

The One With A Total Social Wrecking Ball Of A Visit.

All five of us took it upon ourselves to visit and brought Christmas with us in the form of Christmas crackers, home made mince pies, her favourite sweets and hand made presents. Nanny June had completely overeaten by the time we left. Zero self control and never in all my years on this earth have I seen anyone eat mince pies so fast.

Three children under ten full of Christmas cheer, bobble hats, sparkly clothes and noisy crackers in a desolate beige care home were like glittering sparkles to geriatric magpies. Two residents were rubbernecking but not getting involved whereas two other elderly ladies were like something from Steven Spielberg or Jim Henson film...

“oooohh what’s this? Is it yours? Can I wear it? What’s this? Can you wear it? What’s that? Who are you? Are they yours? Oooh that’s pretty! I like that!”

And a complete disregard for social boundaries - including holding hands, touching faces, taking items, and just violating personal space quite spectacularly.

Strangely, the most stressful part of this was managing Nanny June’s anger with regard to the violation of her privacy and maybe jealousy in sharing her family.

The Mini Morries were bemused, tolerant and appalled at the attention in equal measure. Although a very clear explanation was required in the car on the way home about boundaries from grown ups and how none of that is acceptable in any other circumstance.

I used to get offered a coffee and cake on arrival and the Mini Morries were shamelessly given max strength squash and biscuits... we get offered nothing now. The colourful murals on the walls have been painted over and the tactile sensory board removed. The chicken run outside went some time ago and the cute staff and resident photos on the walls from days out are slowly disappearing.

A whole team of new staff had no idea who I was. Didn’t even know Nanny June had any children. However their first experience of me was hearing me complain about her still waiting for a hairdressers appointment and that her room still smells disgusting. The wrath I unleash each visit had started to lose its weight and the old staff I feel were beginning to tune me out. By the time I left at least the new staff had messaged the hairdresser and they were emailing the manager about the room.

But for an hour at least we made colour and magic come alive for a few people.

Although not for the staff admittedly...