Opening up the mind

We sat on the bench looking East toward Lake Macquarie. The day was bright and sunny, although the wind had a chill of its own. A literal, not metaphorical, chill. I listened mostly, as he spoke. Sometimes when listening to him, it is difficult to know how to respond. We had just moved 10 x 30 litre bags of premium garden mix. He held the gate to ensure I was not locked out and that other residents did not walk out. I lugged each bag onto the removalist trolley and pushed it up into his developing courtyard garden. He was told he could not help with the moving of the soil. He has a heart condition, and they have a duty of care. So, the I had the job of toting that barge, and lifting that bale. By the time we had left this bench, for the return journey to the aged-care facility, the 'heart condition' had been transformed into a physical defect meaning that half of his heart no longer existed. Sometimes it is difficult to know how to respond. This week I get to know the mix of dementia, stroke, and Wernecke's Psychosis.