Social - January 2003

Family brings gifts and affection to the elderly

Kisses and warm wishes

By DIANE TURBYFILL, LTN Staff Writer

January 17, 2003 - Raquel, Alexis and Rebekah Cespedes visit their grandparents twice a week — all eight of them.

The children visit Lincoln Nursing Center on Tuesdays and Thursdays with their mother, Iliana Gonzalez. They’ve been making the visits for more than a year.

The tradition began when Gonzalez’s sister left on an out-of-town trip, leaving behind a relative who lives at the center.

“My sister asked me to keep an eye on Miss Helms,” Gonzalez explained. “We started coming here and just decided to stay here.”

Through the nursing home’s Adopt-a-Grandparent program, the family has added seven other adults to their route.

“I felt sad that there’s a lot of people who don’t have family,” Gonzalez said.

The mother of three also believes her actions are instilling important values in her children.

“Through this, it encourages them. It will help them appreciate older people.”

From the moment the family steps onto the porch, residents smile and greet them. Alexis, 5, hugs and kisses her grandparents. She sits on laps and shares her candy. Raquel, 2, is a little more bashful. She smiles and waves but stays close to her mom.

Rebekah is starting her visitation at the home early. She is only six-weeks-old. One resident rolls by and exclaims, “Is that a real baby? What a beautiful baby.”

Gonzalez and her daughters stop and visit all who speak to them. But their grandparents receive additional gifts. Each visit, they deliver hot apple pies from McDonalds. They used to come bearing candy and other sweets, but Gonzalez soon replaced treats with apple pies.

“A lot of them are diabetics, so we started bringing apple pies, and they loved it.”

Christmas Day at Lincoln Nursing Center has become a tradition for the family. They visit and bring stuffed animals to residents. This year, Gonzalez and her children were joined by eight other members of their family to make their rounds.

They sang Christmas carols and brought presents. Alexis and Raquel enjoyed dressing up in Santa suits and distributing gifts.

“I’m a little Santa for the grandmothers,” Alexis said.

Gonzalez felt driven to visit on the holidays.

“They told us that not even their children come to see them on Christmas,” she said. “It doesn’t take much time to help them appreciate life.”

Gonzalez works second shift at Mohican Mills. When she is not busy at work or with children and husband, Alex Cespedes, she serves as a translator for Hispanic friends and neighbors.

She feels helping others is her responsibility.

“If God gives you the ability to learn another language, why wouldn’t you help someone else who can’t.”

Not even the birth of her daughter or recent hernia surgery has deterred Gonzalez from visiting the nursing center. Her family’s presence is appreciated by residents and staff.

“These girls come regularly every week, and they minister to all these patients,” said Rebecca Watson, who works in the center rehab department.

Raquel and Alexis are disappointed when they can’t make it by the center.

“It’s difficult. They get upset,” Gonzalez said.

But they rarely miss a visit, she said.

“God gives you time.”

© 2001 Lincoln Times-News  

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