When I say, "old friends" --I don't mean people who have been friends for years-but I mean elderly people who form new friendships. In all my work at nursing homes, I haven't often seen friendships among residents. I am sure it happens and that I don't normally see it because when I am there, they are in a group. But lately I have been seeing friends forming and it is great to see this.
At one home where I work there have been quite a number of new people who joined the community. Last night I saw two new women friends sitting in the hallway talking intensely and doing something that looked like arm wrestling. It is nice to see because before the new arrival, Ms. Louise didn't seem to have friends there. (or I never saw her with them) But her new friend and her were carrying on and laughing and talking. Later when I walked by, Ms. Louise had fallen asleep with her head on her new friends' shoulder and holding hands with her.
Today at another home I saw something that reminded me of myself when I was a teenager. I was a mischievous friend who liked to tease and play pranks on my friends. Until today, it never occurred to me that seniors have these kind of friendships. While we were singing in a group, I could see two women making funny faces at each other and poking each other in the head and other things. I had never seen them doing this before. I guess friends are the same at whatever age. I wonder what kind of friend I be when I am in my 80s? Will I arm wrestle and tease them? Will I work to keep their trust? How will friendships change as we get older? Oddly enough, I never thought about it until today.
What do you think?
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