Westwood Terrace Senior Moments Visit (03/06/09)

We did 2 outreaches Friday. One at 9am and the other at 1:30. Here is the second one.
They were both so different but each unique and pleasurable.

3/6/09 Westwood Terrace Outreach

Jeff and Magic are in a hallway, surrounded by women. Some have long plastic sheets wrapped around their neck. Some have small towels around the back of their necks. It was just an innocent walk down the hall by Magic and Jeff that cleared out The Westwood Terrace Cut and Curl Beauty Shop. Even the 2 hairdressers abandoned the shop to come see Magic. Poor Jeff had to stand there for 15-20 min. while listening to us all chatter, exchange ideas and suggestions on what hairstyle would work best for an ALWAYS ON THE GO mini horse. Magic got very professional, hands on, on the spot consultation. As the he hair dressers used their skilled fingers to feel the texture, Magic was fully encouraged in these talks too. Each time we mentioned something Magic would like, she would shake her head. Magic thought a French braid on her tail would look nice and a little bit of hi-lite on her punk rocker style hair cut would be ok. She likes neon pink and it is so totally rad right now. It would match her white halter with her pink embroidered name. Magic agreed that her mane could use a little bead work too. During all this Jeff patiently zoned out. He bent his right leg. His eyes glazed over. His hand rested gently on Magic’s back. He went to a happy dream place where he is smoking his cigar. However he quickly zoned back in REAL quick when he vehemently nixed the bows idea big time. He just couldn’t see himself walking a horse with bows.

There were so many memorable moments at Westwood Terrace. Take a break. Grab some coffee, sit back, relax. Enjoy!!!!! If you haven’t figured out that Westwood Terrace is a fun place for seniors to live, let me tell you more of what our outreach visit was like.

Betty W., Barb Caskey, (a WindChill Legacy Board Member/grant writer,) myself, Jeff and Magic were greeted by the most enthusiastic activity director of all time. She was so so so so excited. Her energy was incredible, creating such excitement. It was only 12:50 and she could not wait until Magic got here. This excitement was passed on to every resident that walked in the room. As residents came in, she gave each person a cowboy hat and made a warm personalized remark. She had such exuberance which was infectious to us all.

Our program was certainly a draw. They had the chairs set up in an upside down U just like 2 giant horses shoes. The whole day was a western theme. People kept coming in. Chairs filled up. More chairs were brought in. Andrea, the Activity Director could not believe how the people kept coming in. We were very popular. Even the staff was amazed at the response. Just in residents alone in the rooms there were 80+. Staff was out in the hall. Again I had enough time to go around to each resident and talk. They were all pumped up. I just can’t describe how wonderful to see such enthusiasm and appreciation and feel the excitement for this rare experience. Anticipation was at a fever pitch.

When I first came into the community room, I thought how wonderfully decorated and the balloons added so much color. Little bales of hay were on the floor. Pictures of cowgirls were on the wall. They looked like they were cut out of real leather but when you touched them they were paper. As the staff was putting the finishing touches on the decorations, even more balloons came in. I thought about the balloons as I was setting up. My gut told me they might be a problem and just as I was going to say something 1 popped loudly. It startled me. I looked at the staff person and I said these are not a good idea. 30+ balloons were untied and taken somewhere else.

When Andrea, the Activity Director, introduced me, she asked how many residents grew up with horses. So many hands shot up. I already knew that because I heard from so many as I walked around welcoming the residents. So many people had horses on the farm they lived on. None were pets. They were used to get from one place to another or to do the farm work. There were lots of plow stories and mule stories. One man told me about how he rode mules and how stubborn they were. He told the funny stories with such love. He laughed at how you just can’t make a mule go where they don’t want to go but how fast they can run if pointed in the direction of home. One man talked about how he had a team of horses to do road grading. He said there were no tractors or engine powered machines back then. I asked how he could control a team of horses. He said he just did. I told him about Rain, my riding lesson horse, and how I had a hard time controlling just 1 horse. I always watch when Jeff gets within range of residents with horse stories. I want him to hear them too.

That is how Jeff met a real cowgirl. She was a very tiny, will of a wisp, frail woman who fell in love with a cowboy. He passed away a few years back. Andrea had told me about her and I wanted to make sure she met Jeff. On her door still hangs the sign, A COWBOY LIVES HERE WITH THE GAL OF HIS DREAMS. She and Jeff talked for a while, her hand in his or her hand on his arm. She took Magic‘s face in her hands and just kept stroking her. She had the touch of doing this so many times before. She was so funny, personable, humorous, joyful and like any cowgirl ready to give advice, “That lead rope is a bit much for Magic don’t ya think. It’s a bit of over kill, don’t ya think?” “Yes Maam” Jeff replied with a laugh.

I am grateful to Kathi for somehow, someway involving me in actual real life experiences with horses. I do not have to be patronizing when talking about horses. I know just enough to understand respectfully what the residents are talking about.. I do not have to speak just to be sociable. Barb Caskey made me feel so good when she told me how much I knew about horses. That is really hard for me to believe.

As usual the women residents were not shy at all with the cowboy. He got at least 2 propositions. I can’t go into detail but even I was turning red. Overheard from several of the staff, “Well look, he’s wearing a wedding ring.” I am only writing about this because you have to understand that Jeff handles it so well. It is embarrassing, but he handles it with his sense of humor, a quick grin, and his big heart and his cowboy manners. He is such a gentleman. Again it is not easy for him.

It is not easy for ME either. The residents took years off Jeff’s life and added a ton to mine. One woman shouted loudly to me. “IS THE COWBOY YOUR SON?” I replied, “ No but I hope my sons turn out to have as big a heart as Jeff has.”

Half way through Magic’s petting in the community room, a grandma, mother, and daughter came in. The little girl had her head down. She was very shy. I went over to welcome her. They all were going to sit in the back. I brought them up front. The mom took the girl’s jacket off. The girl had a burgundy shirt on, with sparkly pink horses. I excitedly said what a wonderful shirt and it was about the most favorite animal in my life right now. I told her how Magic is going to love that shirt. She beamed. She held her head up high. Lots of grandmas gave her complements. So Gramma Carole I have our first designer shirt idea for the new Spring Season. I just hope it comes in our size.

There were so many people. As we walked past one office with Magic, a woman was on the phone. She stopped talking in mid sentence, her jaw drooped, said got to go, slammed the phone down , came flying out the door. Jeff and I never get used to this comical sight. We all laughed.

The laughter in this building by staff and residents is non-stop. I t is a place filled with joy and happiness. Living goes on there.

We stopped in a room with a group of very special people who just could not believe a horse had come to visit them. The staff and helping college students were in awe. They were just speechless but the clients weren’t. They asked so many questions and gave us replies that had us in stitches. Magic just knew what to do. She went up to the smallest tiniest man in a very big chair. She stood with her head right by his shoulder as still and as straight as ever as he reached with his other arm to gently pet her nose, repeating over and over, “She likes me. She likes me. I like her.”

We then went to a day care with 27 3-5 year olds. Jeff waited outside while I organized things. If you ever want to get the attention of 27 preschool kids with very energetic busy bodies spread throughout a day care, just tell them that you have a real live horse named Magic that wants to visit them and that she can’t come in until everyone is seated on the mat. All activity stopped. You could hear a pin drop. In 3 seconds flat the mat had vacuumed up all 27 children from all corners of the room. Then you tell them how how Magic just can’t wait to come in but there are some rules you have to follow to make her feel welcome.

Oh my Magic comes in. Whispers of “It’s a real horse. She’s a lot bigger than me. She’s so beautiful. I want to pet her? “ Magic WAS taller than most of the kids there. The kids did a great job of coming up 3 at a time. There was no pushing or shoving. I showed them how to pet her. I kept complimenting them when they did a good job. It was so easy. They were so good. The teachers stood back just in awe at watching this entire experience take place. You could see the pride in their faces at the manners and respect being shown. Jeff could not believe how orderly it went. When we were done, Jeff sighs with relief and said, “That went well.”

I showed the children Magic’s star. One boy came up to me after we were ready to leave. He said sadly he did not get to see her star. At that moment, (HONEST), Magic turned her head toward the boy and I showed him her star. I told him that if he touched her star it would bring him good luck.

Magic had contact with so many people of all ages, seniors, staff, college students, children, beauty shop owners, nuns and priests, visitors, 27 preschool kids. Her poise is amazing. However if you think she is perfect, she is not. She had the munchies and wanted to eat a plastic/wooden school desk. You could hear her teeth scrape the wood. She did this 3 times. Jeff was on top of it. I have to admit with over 160+ people in 2 hours that would make me grind my teeth.

Jeff was very wise today. We always ask for the numbers of people expected. However you just never know. After our morning outreach program with 53 people, Jeff said he was going back to Raindance to let Magic run a bit. It was a good decision. At Westwood, we did not know what a draw we would be. We knew ahead of time we were going to individual rooms after the community room. However there were so many other places, like the Beauty Shop on the way. We made contact with over 165 + people, (and I stopped counting). Magic was at her best. It was meant to be. It all flowed so well. Magic was totally loving being the center of attention. She was in her zone as Jeff calls it. So today, with the 2 programs, Magic made contact with 220+ people of all ages.

Again I had so much help from, Betty W, Jeff and Magic, and thank goodness, Barb Caskey came to observe for grant writing but she quickly saw the need and jumped in to help. It was so great to be able to share this experience with her. She felt the thrill also. She helped carry things. She interacted with the residents and staff. It was a thrill to see her face beam at each new encounter.

Just a tad bit of info Jeff throws out as we walk down the hall. Do you know you use up 400+calories an hour when you brush a horse. Hmmmm!!!!!! Gramma Carole we do this 2x a week, usually 4 horses at least for 2 1/1hours a shot. Gramma Carole, have you seen any weight loss since Sept.? Oh that’s right how could weight when every time we are at Raindance, there is a full 12 course meal and a 5 course dessert entrée plus leftovers sent home with us.

Please do not let Layla know, but Magic got the red carpet treatment at Westbrook. Jeff may need a designer tux for future gigs like this. As he brought Magic in, both sides of the wide entry way were lined with people and staff standing and sitting in chairs. Cameras were flashing. Magic is taking her bows, then a piercing scream. In the community room, a staff person runs in to name a resident, who is a 103 years old, who screamed, wanting to know what and why is that furry beast coming at her. After she realized that it was a mini horse, Magic worked her magic on her. I talked to her later. She held my hand and I put an arm around her. She was ok about the experience. She was laughing about it. She said she will try not to scream the next time we come.

Other comments were heard from residents were, “She was worth the wait. I didn’t believe she would be alive.”

One of the residents was a principal, 20 years ago in Chicago. Marlon Brando attended his school. He came up to me to ask if I was a teacher. I said yes. He said he could tell by the wonderful presentation and speaking voice I have. I was grateful to hear that.

When we first came in to the front entry way of Westbrook, a gentleman came up and as usual when I come into a building I talk to everyone I see, asking if they are coming. Today it was 3 ladies coming off the elevator and a priest. The priest did not know if he was coming. However I was proud to see his smiling face beaming back as me as I did my presentation. He sat right smack in the middle. He even brought pictures of his relatives on horses which he showed Jeff and I. That was so nice of him to go the extra step.

The minute I got done with my presentation, one woman got up quickly and just gave me a big hug. She said the pictures and my speech were truly inspirational and full of compassion.

In the car, Betty W. made the comment of how I talk about the pain, the sorrow, the love and the strong emotions inside of me, but people also feel the hope for the future in the things I talk about. I am happy about that but I have to give credit where credit is due. Kathi kept me on the message. I have emails to prove it. It is really WIndChill’s voice. I am like Magic. I am just a way to get out his message.

Another profound thing Betty W. said, is that there is such a difference between having just a Magic visit or just me speaking visit. When you put the 2 together, that electricity of emotions goes sky high. The message is so much more effective. However she reminded me that each outreach is so different and she likes that one of our top priorities is to first meet the residents’ needs. That is the reason we offer a wide choice of programs tailor-made to make the experience with Magic turn out the best we can.

On our way out the door, we passed a receptionist. We over heard her say, “it is hard enough rescuing dogs, I can’t imagine the work it takes rescuing horses. Also overheard from a dietician, “That is one really healthy looking horse.”

Finally it was time to head out. We were walking down the hall past the Cut and Curl Beauty Shop. The 2 hair stylists coming running out with their personally autographed business card and told us Magic has an open ended invitation for an appointment whenever she is ready. As they turned around, you could hear them giggling down the hall.