Don’t ignore those in long-term care facilities

I am a chaplain at two long-term care facilities (nursing homes) in Cedar Rapids. I resonated with Jean Greiner's letter on March 7. I also see many who wait in vain for family and friends, although I also see residents visited regularly.

I urge families and friends to visit those in retirement facilities. I encourage everyone to remember the reality of aging, of losing both home and possessions and privacy. All of us will be in this place unless we die early.

As a chaplain, I am perhaps the one person who is not in a hurry and who does not provide medical or personal physical care. I am there to listen and to take time and get to know people over the long haul on their own terms. That is my job and joy.

However, this does not absolve family members from visiting. I urge those folks to bring photos, memories, themselves, to cement that link between generations, and most importantly, to show that the residents are not forgotten, are not simply dropped off, but are still loved and valued as the person they are and have been.

We all deserve to end our days with dignity and love, knowing we are not forgotten.

Marti Garrison

Cedar Rapids