As a journalist, one should probably have a fairly firm grasp of what news items might catch fire and “go viral” across the interwebs. But as it turns out, this writer could, admittedly, using a little work on his own radar every now and then.
The latest case in point is this tale of a few nursing home residents going out to grab some daiquiris in Louisiana. One onlooker named Brandon Sinegal spotted the pack of elderly individuals and snapped a quick video, posting it on Facebook March 12 with the tag “only in Lafayette,” accompanied by three laughing/crying emojis.
When I initially came across the story a few weeks ago, I tossed it aside, thinking, “So what? Old folks get thirsty, too. Big whoop.” But the story seems to have taken on a life of its own, getting picked up by several outlets, with the original Facebook post garnering nearly 70,000 views this week.
Leaders at Pelican Healthcare and Rehabilitation, in Maurice, LA, were similarly dumbfounded by all of the attention that the story has received. Rather than getting indignant about it, though, they are using this as an opportunity to talk about ageism and misperceptions about what nursing home residents can and cannot do.
“I suppose it highlights an even bigger issue of the general public not recognizing that, because you have some age on you and can’t move like you used to, it doesn’t mean that you still don’t want the same things in life that you always wanted,” Michele Veillon, program and design director for Pelican’s parent company Elder Outreach, told McKnight’s last week. “That’s actually our mission: to dispel all of the myths about aging.”
Veillon also shared several pictures and stories of all the fun outings and events at Pelican, further dispelling the notion from folks like Sinegal that nursing home residents spend most of their days sleeping or watching TV. Their lives actually sound more interesting than most average Joes’ do, including a deep-sea fishing excursion, a visit to the tasting room at a local brewery and several stops at the nearby Maurice City Bar. They also frequently play basketball, tennis and billiards, take private plane rides and make group trips to the barbershop. KATC reports that they even have a chant they like to say together on bus trips.
Pelican is on a crusade to dispel any common myths about aging while also providing care that goes “well beyond ordinary,” adds Veillon.
“It’s always been our mission to live life with our residents to the fullest. And the more we do this, the more we recognize how very similar our wants and needs are,” she says.
And there you have it.
Who knew a silly little trip to the daiquiri shop could be laced with so much meaning?
Follow Staff Writer Marty Stempniak @MStempniak.
