There’s only so much one Vampire can do.

This weekend, Americans will be drinking alcohol, eating grilled food, and trying not to blow their fingers off with fireworks. That’s easy when you can go to the store, buy what you want, and come home to celebrate with friends and family.

But what if you can’t? West Virginia is full of rest homes, both assisted and non-assisted (I’m not including hospice, which is an entirely different thing). Myself and a few volunteers have recently been paying these places a visit, looking for and and all discrepancies, opportunities for improvement, but mostly abusers and people who shouldn’t be working there — a bit of a pet peeve of mine.

People underestimate their independence and how quickly they can lose it. But for the elderly, there is a sense of being useless, like pets that need cared for. No one wants that. No one likes to feels they can’t do what they want when they want to, and I’m not only talking about growing old.

When I needed blood and a safe place to rest for the daytime — all of which was a bit of a shock when it happened — I had to depend on others (and still do) and I’ll always be grateful to have them. Vampirism aside, there are far too many other debilitating diseases that exist which can take away one’s mind, mobility, or worse. You won’t know what you’ve lost until it’s gone.

Independence.

Don’t take it for granted; you can lose it in an instant. If you care for someone, help them help themselves; let them do as much as they are able and willing.

As far as the secret visits to other rest homes? I’ll post one or two of these encounters in the future. You won’t want to miss those.

Happy Independence Day, everyone.

~ Janiss

Email janiss.connelly@cedarcrestsanctum.com
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