I'm A Person Too

• by Leisha Hunt
• 2 years ago

I too worked as a CNA for 15 plus years and then I choose to do private home health care. I always respected my residents and my private clients and demanded that everyone else did. They each have had a lifetime of working and raising families. They have had sorrow and they have had joy. They should be cared for with dignity and respect just like it was your mom or dad being cared for. Some of them are dropped off and no one ever comes back. Just think of how that must feel. I always tried to make them feel special in every way that I could. I always asked myself how I would want someone to treat my parent if I could not be there. My resounding answer was always with dignity, love, and compassion. They are a person too.

• by Amirul
• 4 years ago

This poem reminds me of my great grandmother when I was only 7 years old. She couldn't talk or move much, but she was lively as I can remember. She would give me money to buy some traditional soft sweets that we could share. And she would show me her picture when she was a young adult. Little old me though that the world back then was black and white. And before her final breath, she called on to me by waving her hand to me and she tried to speak to me with a gibberish and weak voice, but somehow, I understood her. I went and opened her chest containing some old artifacts and took out the one picture that she would always see before she slept. And I would give it to her. The picture only contained 2 people in it. Her when she was an adult and an unknown man standing beside her. She took the pic and hugged it tightly as it was worth something to her. She then looked at my mom, cousin and other people around her and finally looked at me and said something to me with a pleased face before she passed away.

• by Shelby
• 6 years ago

Five stars and many thanks for your poem, “I’m a Person, Too.” I’m a CNA/HHS with 25 years experience in eldercare. This poem brought me to tears. You shed light on and gave a voice to the countless number of elderly folks who sit suffering in silence, trapped in their own bodies. I wholeheartedly agree.

• by Subhash Bansal
• 6 years ago

This is one of the finest poems I have ever read. It narrates the helplessness of a patient lying in any hospital very truly. It conveys the message so realistically to all the nursing and other para-medical staff to be compassionate while looking after the patients under their care. I have been associated with a 100 beds hospital for quite a long time. I am thinking to hang a framed copy of this poem in every ward to sensitize the staff working there. Please convey my all appreciations to the poet for writing such a meaningful and purposeful poem.
-Subhash Bansal

• by Hanna Eardley, Shanghai, China
• 6 years ago

Hi! This is a remarkable poem. I love the way you used the words. I just have to add though, that it saddens me that poetry about care is always reminding people/caregivers/nurses to be nicer. I worked in care for 8 years before moving to China. It is sad to say that some people do need this sort of reminding but the caring caregivers never get mentioned. Out of all the caregivers I've worked with (and I've worked with many) only a handful could have done with reading this poem and others like it. There's also soo much love in care homes and caregivers really do care regardless of the simple few who give this profession such a bad name. Just my thoughts.
Hanna

• by Patricia A Fleming, Trenton
• 7 years ago

I worked in a psychiatric hospital for 36 years, and I often thought about how my patients were often treated like they weren't even human. It was frustrating for me to work with people who didn't care about the patients' feelings and seemed to forget that they were people just like us, with all the same needs. That's why I loved you're poem. It's really beautiful in its message, and I hope other people that read this learn from your insight into your patients. I bet you are a wonderful nurse in addition to being a great poet. I loved this.

• by Kim Zafe
• 7 years ago

I can feel the pain in every stanza. As I continued to read, I couldn't help it but shed a tear. If only I could come to you, I surely will.

• by Aisha Naseer
• 8 years ago

Wow! Beautiful Poem. I needed a poem for my English class. This right here is phenomenal. I volunteer at a hospital, so I work and see a lot of these patients. This poem has reminded me to take better care of them and show them much love, even though they can't say anything. Most of these patients send beautiful words and blessings upon you when you do a simple act of kindness. THANK YOU FOR THIS AMAZING POEM!! I will remember to always stay kind to the patients and give them my time to keep them happy. Because one day we might be in the same place they are at now, so please be kind to everyone and show love!

• by Anna Airbright, UK
• 8 years ago

Every word described my Mums stay in a Care Home....she passed recently. I took care of her as long as I was able; then was persuaded by the Authorities to entrust her to the Care professionals. The term 'care' is used loosely. I was asked by a member of staff why I came every day, when she 'didn't even know what day it was'. I replied: ask her what happened in Feb 1952. Mum's Green Light came on (as I called it) and she waxed lyrical about her wedding day. Several other dates also had the same reaction. I said to the young care worker....... she may not appear to be living in your time; but she is living in her time.. A very moving poem which had me in tears as I typed.

• by Pink, Jordan
• 10 years ago

Omg! :( it just tore my heart out

• by Nishant Sharma
• 10 years ago

I am so touched! Thank you so much for writing this poem. I am twenty one. My grand father is 80 years old. Sometimes he loses control over his bladder and wets the bed. I see him cringing and feeling helpless. He has worked in Indian Railways for decades till when he retired in 1992. I see the helplessness on his countenance.
It is strange! How life changes. One day all of us are going to die. The lucky ones will live till they are venerable old men/women with grandchildren. Yet, we feel irritated at the drooling and weak-ears of the elderly. This poem has touched me. I bless the writer!

• by Elsa Rosenfeld
• 10 years ago

Oh my God! Has this poem touched me!
My mother is in a nursing home. I can almost hear her crying out these words. It aches my heart, but there is nothing I can do as I have no say in the matter. My sister has Power of Attorney and what she says goes.
Every day I think of her. Then I pray, please Lord, take care of her for what else can I do? I hope that the ones taking care of her are really taking care of her.
And when I visit her, she really is a person too!!!

• by Jerry Mazzola
• 11 years ago

This is what my daughter wrote I am very proud of her, love daddy

• by Marian Shapcott
• 12 years ago

This was a lovely poem, I thought of my husband when I read it, he has been in a vegative state for 10 years and I often wonder whether he knows what's going on around him. He doesn't show any signs of recognizing me or hearing me. I know he can hear because he jumps at loud noises. I cannot fault the care he receives in the royal hospital at Putney, the staff there are so caring.

• by Makayla, Massachusetts
• 12 years ago

My grandmother had dementia and she didn't respond to anyone.... but me. I was young and we had a connection but one day I heard the nurses talking about how pathetic she was for wetting her bed and not saying anything so I ran over and stomped on her foot. It hurt to think they could be there in what 20-30 years? And they show no compassion I'm glad you have made this connection and can now better help patients in their helpless days because it hurts to be helpless.