The Gifts We’d Give

We asked our Residents and employees to consider this question: “If you could give a gift to any person of your choice, what would the gift be, who would you give it to, and why?” They may include store-bought items or things that cannot be wrapped, such as gifts of the spirit. Here’s what a few of them the told us:

  • A smiling elderly woman with glasses, short gray hair, wearing a red top and white vest, in an indoor setting.

    Flora Carpeloti

    Resident

    “I would give a babysitter for the evening, dinner and tickets to the theatre to a mother of small children who doesn’t get out much.”

  • A close-up photograph of an elderly woman with short, gray hair, wearing a white top with a floral pattern and a black necklace, in a room with a blurred background.

    Dorothy Barthel

    Resident

    “I would give a family without a house a humble, nice home with a pet dog.”

  • Close-up of an elderly man with a bald head, light-colored eyebrows, and blue eyes, wearing a gray shirt and a black strap over his shoulder, in an indoor setting with blurred background.

    Joe Hepburn

    Resident

    “I would love to give many things to my wife, Linda, like a trip to California or to Arizona to see her sister. We have been married 51 years — all good years!”

  • A smiling elderly woman with white hair wearing a light blue top and a blue lei, sitting at a table in a community room with other seniors in the background.

    Sylvia Banovatz

    Resident

    “I would give a pretty new blouse to wear on a fun date to Diane ‘Dinisa’ Clifford, my aide.”

  • A smiling elderly woman with gray curly hair, wearing glasses and a red top, sitting indoors.

    Carolyn Klingensmith

    Resident Care Aide

    “I would like to give the gift of life — for just three days — to some people to whom I would like to talk to once more. This would be for some people who have passed away just to tell them I love them once more.”

  • Close-up of an elderly woman with curly gray hair and glasses, smiling, seated on a red patterned chair.

    Sister Rosalia Giba

    Resident

    “If I could give a gift to a person of my choice, it would be prayer. Sometimes it seems that we don’t have a way to make things better. It can feel like too big a task. I would offer comfort to someone who is facing a difficult journey. I would pray for that special someone. Praying isn’t always easy. Sometimes the words don’t come naturally. Some issues seem beyond our capabilities to solve. But prayer makes issues solvable. So prayer would be my gift to someone who really needs it.”