This is a great poem written by a man living in a nursing home in Platte, Nebraska. A friend forwarded it to me, and it I thought it was such a great example of how often we overlook the great wealth of experience and history that our residents come into our homes with.
This is also a great resource for staff training, and a great example of a man’s perception of ageism. I would ask everyone that works in a nursing home to take 5 minutes out of their day to read this man’s poem. Apparently, he hid the poem among his personal belongings in his room, and it wasn’t until after his death that nurses found it while cleaning out the room.
Crabby Old Man
What do you see nurses?. . . . What do you see?
What are you thinking . . . . . when you’re looking at me?
A crabby old man,. . . . . not very wise,
Uncertain of habit . . . . . . with faraway eyes?
