By Sue Bandman
Radford Green has been a wonderful experience with Asher. Yet the first time Alice and I went, I certainly was feeling hesitant. It had been a long time since I had been at a care facility, and I wasn’t sure what to expect. But as usual, it has turned into a God thing, as a good friend of mine likes to say!
Asher is so welcome at Radford Green from the moment we walk in the front door. Staff are excited to see us, greeting and petting Asher right away. It is amazing how he brings out smiles just by being present. (This is a good lesson for us all!)
Alice and I make a point of going from room to room to catch any residents who may not have made it to the common room. We have gotten a chance to visit with former Faith members, which has been very special. But even as we walk down the hall, there are a few ladies who remember Asher and are so excited to see him again. They actually call out and can’t wait to pet him.
But what I have found most heart warming are the conversations we are able to elicit with some of some of the Radford Green residents. A few come to mind to share.
As we were in one woman’s room, we were able to pick up on an Irish accent. As soon as I mentioned that, her memory bank seemed to just open up. It turns out that her hometown in Ireland is a place that Alice will be visiting on an international trip in the fall! It was truly a fun conversation. Along with that we commented on some of the beautiful photos of her as a younger woman with her husband. Her memories continued to release. It was a joy.
One of my favorite interactions so far has been with a gentleman we met in the common room. He appeared to be sleeping, head hanging down as he sat in his wheel chair. It can be awkward, never sure whether to disturb someone, not knowing if they will respond. But Alice is always so good at just asking, “Would you like to pet a dog?” This gentleman, Fred, perked up at that and then saw Asher. He was visibly happy and more alert. He instantly started talking about dogs—his two dogs in particular. He happily petted Asher. Fred also told us he had a dog here in his room, that his dog was up high always looking at him. Not wanting to contradict him, thinking that no way did he have a dog in his room here, I brought up another subject. I had noticed he had on a zip-up fleece that had a logo of Mackinaw Island, so I asked about that. He immediately talked about boating off Mackinaw and how he loved to take his two dogs on the boats. He clearly described them as large brown dogs…labs. I have been to Mackinaw and also had a lab, so we had a lot to share. Fred was in the moment, very happy talking about boating and his dogs. One of the staff came over and said, “Fred, you’ve dropped your hat.” She picked it up off the floor and put it on his head. Low and behold, it was a ball cap that had a Labrador retriever on the the front! Then the staff member asked if we had been to his room to see his dog. Alice and I looked at each other with shock. The staff member led us there, and what do you know! Fred has a life-size chocolate lab up on the top of a tall cabinet that overlooks his bed. We were able to tell Fred how much we loved his dog in his room. It was a terrific moment, plus fun for us to get a glimpse into his life and passion for dogs. This was all prompted by Asher being present. As my friend says, this is a God thing!
More recently I had a visit at Radford Green with a Faith member who was just precious and fun. I had been asked to stop by her room by a couple of the Asher team members. When I got there, her son was visiting. They were both very welcoming. We had a lovely visit, with her son taking pictures of his mom with Asher. He mentioned he was going to send them to the kids.
A bit later I took Asher outside for a “quick potty,” and a woman approached Asher and me. She immediately asked, “Is this the infamous Asher…the one who is blowing up my phone?” It turns out that this is the daughter of the woman and son I had visited, on her way to see her mom. The pictures of Asher with her mom were making the family rounds and winding up back to her phone multiple times. The joy Asher brought had just grown exponentially! It was a moment for the family to connect—all made possible by the presence of Asher.
These moments are precious. Not only does Asher spark something in these folks, but the interactions, conversations, and connections touch something inside of me. It is a gift to be with God’s people in this setting. Without Asher, I would not have this privilege. It is absolutely a God thing!