Newcomers dinner - meeting people

Last Tuesday I went to the Newcomers dinner. The Dean of Spring School and his wife literally cooked for us - baked chicken with a cream sauce, salad with mango dressing, fresh bread and chocolate brownies with icecream. So good!

I met one of the professors, Maxine Hancock. She was so warm and had a real ability to converse and facilitate conversation. She was encouraging and also shared openly about her life. Maxine spoke in chapel last Thursday and it was like she was sitting down having a cup of tea and talking with you, not like hearing a sermon or sorts!

There was an older couple at the dinner who came to study as their minister has attended Regent many times. The gentleman said 'so we have come here from Dallas to show that we are still getting into things'. They were taking 'Living Elders in a Dying Church'. I've seen quite a few older people around which is really encouraging to see - there is alot of wisdom there I'm sure.

I also met Caleb - he is 21 years old and also taking the same course! He wants to become a geriatrician specialising in psychiatry. In the conversation I had with him he shared how passionate he is about caring for the elderly - each as an individual and not pass them a template of a health care plan. He was able to articulate everything I have experienced and thought in caring for my Dad the past 6 months including:

• There are so many gaps and unknowns in how to care for the elderly.
• There is a great need for increased number of health care professionals in this area with the ageing population. Caleb was saying how there were very few geriatricians in Canada compared to the number of elderly. I would say the same is in Australia.
• The health care for an elderly person can be complex.
• It is especially hard with people who have alzheimers or dementia.
• Elderly people can very much feel abandoned and not loved in the transition from their own home to nursing homes, and how does one manage that? Also how hard it is and what a sacrifice it is to care for parents in the home. It's hard for any carer whether inside the home or outside the home - it's exhausting.

I'm sure there were other key points, but what impressed me was the maturity of knowledge and thought this young person had. Maxine and I were blown away by Caleb. I did not hesitate to tell him how impressed I was by him and how mature he was for someone at such a young age. I believe this young man will do great things. It's rare to meet someone who is passionate and has a vision for what they want to do vocationally.