Friday, June 23, 2006
Thursdays with Bob
My wife works at an assisted living place for elderly. I like her job, I like old people. I like kids too, I guess maybe I have a problem with people over 10 and less than 80.
Around Christmas of 2005 one of the residents asked if the place could bring in a chess tutor. I play chess, I volunteered for the job. I don't actually volunteer, they pay me at a rate I have never really figured out. About once a month I get a check for $90. I think they have a rule that they would rather pay people than have them volunteer. I feel like I volunteer though, and that the checks I get are a bonus.
The first week I went over there there was just one guy who wanted to play chess. His name is Bob and he is 85. We went over the moves, and the men. Bob is into clocks so pretty quickly he bought a chess clock. He bought a few different sets over the internet, and I showed him how to notate the games. I notate the games and we play for about an hour and a half ever thursday.
Bob has gotten a lot better. He even tries new openings, like last night he tried to move every pawn up one square in his first 8 moves. He has a great grandson that he plays with some time. I don't let him win, but I don't try to make the best move every time either. I want to engage him, and make the game fun. The games are fun, and we both have a lot of fun.
Sometimes we talk about politics, sometimes we talk about his hobbies, sometimes we talk about real estate and the ups and downs I have had selling my old house and buying my new house. He has a lot of stories from WWII era America. I love to hear about how things used to be.
When I started working with an 85 year old, I should have expected health problems and I did. Bob has already had a mini stroke and a heart attack. But about a month ago he was diagnosed with bladder cancer. This tuesday he is going into surgery to have his bladder and prostate removed. He was told that 10% of the patients of his age for this kind of surgery die on the operating table. I told him I thought that he is better than the average 85 year old and that I am giving him 95% chance of getting through it. But he is making plans for his belongings and where his ashes will be scattered. It is tough, and some day if I am lucky I will have to make decisions like that. Last night was the last night of chess for at least 2 months and maybe for ever. We put his nice set away and put his students set out on his table in the common area. It broke me up.
Around Christmas of 2005 one of the residents asked if the place could bring in a chess tutor. I play chess, I volunteered for the job. I don't actually volunteer, they pay me at a rate I have never really figured out. About once a month I get a check for $90. I think they have a rule that they would rather pay people than have them volunteer. I feel like I volunteer though, and that the checks I get are a bonus.
The first week I went over there there was just one guy who wanted to play chess. His name is Bob and he is 85. We went over the moves, and the men. Bob is into clocks so pretty quickly he bought a chess clock. He bought a few different sets over the internet, and I showed him how to notate the games. I notate the games and we play for about an hour and a half ever thursday.
Bob has gotten a lot better. He even tries new openings, like last night he tried to move every pawn up one square in his first 8 moves. He has a great grandson that he plays with some time. I don't let him win, but I don't try to make the best move every time either. I want to engage him, and make the game fun. The games are fun, and we both have a lot of fun.
Sometimes we talk about politics, sometimes we talk about his hobbies, sometimes we talk about real estate and the ups and downs I have had selling my old house and buying my new house. He has a lot of stories from WWII era America. I love to hear about how things used to be.
When I started working with an 85 year old, I should have expected health problems and I did. Bob has already had a mini stroke and a heart attack. But about a month ago he was diagnosed with bladder cancer. This tuesday he is going into surgery to have his bladder and prostate removed. He was told that 10% of the patients of his age for this kind of surgery die on the operating table. I told him I thought that he is better than the average 85 year old and that I am giving him 95% chance of getting through it. But he is making plans for his belongings and where his ashes will be scattered. It is tough, and some day if I am lucky I will have to make decisions like that. Last night was the last night of chess for at least 2 months and maybe for ever. We put his nice set away and put his students set out on his table in the common area. It broke me up.
