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I also, like to hear and read first hand accounts of people who lived through what would become historical events...one of the best sources for this, I found, was nursing homes...

I worked for many years in nursing homes..and many of the residents are there, simply because they cannot take care of themselves... but for many of them, their minds are still sharp and clear, and the stories they can tell you are wonderful...

I took care of an old lady, who was 105, when I knew her...she was something...could still dress and feed herself, wore makeup and jewelry, and came out west by wagon...Now, I am talking about the state of Washington...where the famous Mt. Rainier Natl Park is...but long ago, before it became to popular, there was a family that found mineral springs there, and set up a mineral springs spa and resort back in the early days of the 20th century...this old lady I took care of, was the daughter of those people who set up the springs...she would tell us tales of her young girlhood days at the spa, and how it was crossing the west in a wooden wagon...She was written up in the local newspaper, becaus of her age, and her obvious clarity of mind, and the newspaper article presented some of the facts...but I was privleged to sit with her, and listen to her tell me so many tales...it was wonderful...

Another old lady, was the daughter of missionaries in China, during the Boxer Rebellion...she also had wonderful tales to tell, scarey tells of running away, in fear of their lives...

One old man, was a famous obstetrician, begin written up in the papers, ,for having delivered so very many babies, in remote areas, under hard and difficult conditions, and yet he never lost a baby...he was a sweetie, and would tell us or horrendous conditions under which he often had to deliver babies, and he remembered every baby he brought into the world...

Another old man built bridges around the world, and he would tell us of the conditions of the different countries as he found them at a time, before I was even born...

One lady was a circus clown with Ringling Bros, and she would tell us about her early days spent in the circus...

So often, younger people think that all those old people in nursing homes are not worth time spent with them...that is just so incorrect...Visit a nursing home, find very old seniors who are still lucid, and I guarantee you, they will present you with living history, as they saw and lived though it...

Hello

Thankyou for sharing your nursing home memories.

For a few weeks was working on a elctrical contract at a nursing home.

In that season of my life was also discovering the legacy of many Family members.

[One individual was a test Pilot on Englands famous fighter plane..the Spitfire.

later he saw action in the Battle of Britian carrying his service thru the war.

He lost his life as a test pilot in the 1950's flying the new Jets of the RAF ].

Nearing the mid afternoon at the nursing ..was alone with an elderly man in his room.
On the mantle was a photo of a young airmen climbing out of a RAF Spitfire cockpit..bearing a big grin.

He nodded several times emphatically and I seemed to see a smile on his face under his respirator.

returning to work a short time later a Nurse quickly came into the room..then check the man..then asked me to leave.
The man passed away a hour or so later..

I went away from that encounter in awe...for me..it was no happenchance..it was an appointment.