The forced evacuation of most of the Mansion residents has been a grueling ordeal for everyone concerned. First, the residents were uprooted, frightened, disoriented at their sudden move. The end of this hard time seems near.
The Mansion owners were nearly overwhelmed with a massive amount of restoration work after severe flooding. Mostly, they and their staff were distraught that they couldn’t take care of the people they love caring for.
The Mansion staff were exhausted and depressed by their challenge at managing care in two places, and the Mansion families who took in their mothers and family members during this nearly month-long trauma are drained, their lives disrupted.
They rose to the challenge with energy and good cheer.
The Army Of Good rose to the challenge, and is still rising. There is still a lot to do.
I’ve been distributing flowers, books, tames puzzles to the Mansion and also to the Danforth Adult Care Center where some of the displaced residents were sent. Today, I brought a beautiful cake from the Round House Cafe that said “Mansion Staff: You Are Appreciated.”
It is not a simple thing to care for the extreme and challenged elderly. Work is continuing on the Mansion through today and over this coming weekend, there are new carpets, walls, ceiling tiles, roofing, lights. Early next week, state health officials will come to the Mansion and hopefully give the all clear for the residents to return.
It is always possible the state will ask for more work, but the staff is optimistic that they will be ready by Monday.
I’m happy to have a role to play. Kassi, the Mansion director, asked for my help next week.
My task is to bring Red and be present to read to the returning residents when they arrive, and are getting settled. Also, we are funding a Homecoming Celebration – hopefully on Wednesday, I’m bringing a car load of Chinese food to a celebration that will hopefully also have some music. I’m happy to lend a hand.
The staff has to transport residents from homes and facilities and help them get settled. Some of the residents may have lost or displaced some of their clothes or other belongings in all of the chaos of moving out quickly. I’ll be there to fill in the holes.
This has been an important and somewhat emotional experience for me. It has brought me closer to the residents and built trust and connection between us. They were lonely and frightened, and it grounded them to see me and Red, I could feel it, it felt very good. I love my work there.
If you wish to support this work this week, you can contribute by sending a contribution via Paypal, [email protected] or by check to Jon Katz, Mansion Fund, P.O. Box 205, Cambridge, N.Y., 12816. It is nice to think of these people back in their rooms and in the warm embrace of the Mansion next week, they have suffered quite enough.