Delaware Hospice Alzheimer’s patient revisits childhood years with hospice volunteer.
FEATURE STORY: September 10, 2009
Delaware Hospice Alzheimer’s patient revisits childhood years with hospice volunteer.
Delaware Hospice Alzheimer’s patient revisits childhood years with hospice volunteer.
By Beverly Crowl
It was just a case of luck that Jackson Lynn became the poster boy for the Merchant Marines in the early 1940’s, when they were posting fliers to promote war bonds. “I was in the right place and the right time,” recalled Jackson. “I was working in an office in Washington D.C. when someone came in looking for a marine to photograph for the posters, and I was there.” Jackson’s photo and the war bond poster became quite famous.
It was also luck that Jackson Lynn was referred to Delaware Hospice fifty years later, where he and his family found the special care they needed as well as a great gift in the form of Andy Parezo, a Delaware Hospice volunteer.
Jackson’s dependency on his family had grown during this past year with the diagnosis and progression of Alzheimer’s disease. Jackson’s granddaughter, Corina Beatty, said, “I never would have considered hospice care for my grandfather at this point. But we needed help, and a nurse who knew our situation quite well referred us to Delaware Hospice.”
As primary caregiver, Corina was hesitant to take this step. “I prefer to be in control, to do everything myself and to know that I’ve done all that I can. I didn’t feel I could trust an outsider to help with his care. Now, after several months with the Delaware Hospice team, we feel like a burden has been lifted and Jackson looks forward to their visits, as well.”
A nurse comes once a week to check Jackson’s symptoms and medication. A social worker makes sure the family doesn’t need anything, a chaplain visits regularly to chat, and a certified nursing assistant helps with personal care a couple of times a week.
Corina said “We’ve grown to have complete trust in their staff and such peace of mind with their 24-hour on-call service. If we have a question, we pick up the phone and always get an answer within a brief period of time. If our nurse doesn’t know the answer to a question, she will contact his physician and find the answer immediately.
“We’re so pleased with the care, but the most amazing gift is our Delaware Hospice volunteer, Andy Parezo."
When Andy Parezo accepted his volunteer assignment to go and visit with Jackson once a week, no one realized that Andy and Jackson shared memories of childhood and young adulthood—years in which Alzheimer’s patients tend to have strong memories.
Andy said, “When I received the assignment, Jack’s name rang a bell, but I didn’t recognize him. As we spent time together and chatted, one remarkable coincidence after another was revealed. Jackson and I are the same age. We both grew up in Washington D.C. where we graduated from different high schools in June of 1939. We both attended Wilson’s Teacher College the next fall, where we remember wearing the obligatory green necktie and green and white felt beanie which were the school colors.
“A few years later, I married a woman who lived near his home, and Jackson and I met on the bus, where we remembered seeing each other at Wilson’s Teacher College. I discovered that Jackson had married Nancy, who had been my date to the high school senior prom. Both of us joined the service shortly after that.
“On one of my visits with Jack, I mentioned that I had been in the army air corps in Greensboro, NC. Jackson suddenly shouted out, ‘BTC10!’ It turns out that Jackson had been part of the permanent cadre at Greensboro, although we never saw each other while stationed there. As a permanent cadre, he lived off-base with Nancy. As a private trainee, I was confined to base until I’d been there long enough to get a pass.”
In 1975, Andy moved to the Eastern Shore. Jackson had also been transferred to Salisbury by his employer. So they both lived once again in the same neighborhood--at one point within a few blocks of each other--and didn’t know it!
Corina grew emotional when she talked of Andy’s visits with her grandfather. “He has good days and bad days; but when Andy comes, he perks up and becomes so animated. Those are his best days.”
Andy and Jackson talk about people from the past and about Washington D.C. as it was in the 1930’s and 40’s. They remember movie theaters and especially the local amusement park, called Glen Echo Park. Jackson said, “My friends and I used to steal rides on the roller coaster. We’d wait for it to slow down at the bottom of the hill, and then jump on. It wasn’t really dangerous, just greasy.”
Corina and her husband, Jim, agree that having Andy visit is one of the greatest bonus factors in the whole deal. Corina said, “It really gets my grandfather going. His brain works; he remembers things that he hasn’t thought about in a very long time. For us, it’s so good to see.”
Jim agreed, “On the good days, I love to listen to the two of them talk because I’m really interested in history. Some things are so amazing, like going to the World Series baseball game in the 1930’s to see the Washington Senators play. Tickets were fifty cents! And Jackson can tell me exactly which trains and buses he took to get here and there.”
Andy Parezo has been a Delaware Hospice volunteer since 2000, visiting patients, participating in the adult survivor program, New Beginnings, helping at the Festival of Trees, and helping out at Camp New Hope for children who have suffered a loss. But this case has been exceptional. “When Jackson piped up with “BCP10,” I actually got chills realizing he had been there, as this base was only in use for a year. You never know who you’re going to meet as a volunteer, but this has been truly a remarkable assignment.”
Jackson Lynn and Delaware Hospice volunteer Andy Parezo share childhood memories during weekly visits.
Volunteers DO make a difference. Fall volunteer training classes at Delaware Hospice will be held in October. For more information, call 800-838-9800 to ask for the Volunteer Coordinator in your county.
MEDIA CONTACT: Beverly Crowl, Public Relations Specialist, Delaware Hospice
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it , 302-547-1816.
It was just a case of luck that Jackson Lynn became the poster boy for the Merchant Marines in the early 1940’s, when they were posting fliers to promote war bonds. “I was in the right place and the right time,” recalled Jackson. “I was working in an office in Washington D.C. when someone came in looking for a marine to photograph for the posters, and I was there.” Jackson’s photo and the war bond poster became quite famous.
It was also luck that Jackson Lynn was referred to Delaware Hospice fifty years later, where he and his family found the special care they needed as well as a great gift in the form of Andy Parezo, a Delaware Hospice volunteer.
Jackson’s dependency on his family had grown during this past year with the diagnosis and progression of Alzheimer’s disease. Jackson’s granddaughter, Corina Beatty, said, “I never would have considered hospice care for my grandfather at this point. But we needed help, and a nurse who knew our situation quite well referred us to Delaware Hospice.”
As primary caregiver, Corina was hesitant to take this step. “I prefer to be in control, to do everything myself and to know that I’ve done all that I can. I didn’t feel I could trust an outsider to help with his care. Now, after several months with the Delaware Hospice team, we feel like a burden has been lifted and Jackson looks forward to their visits, as well.”
A nurse comes once a week to check Jackson’s symptoms and medication. A social worker makes sure the family doesn’t need anything, a chaplain visits regularly to chat, and a certified nursing assistant helps with personal care a couple of times a week.
Corina said “We’ve grown to have complete trust in their staff and such peace of mind with their 24-hour on-call service. If we have a question, we pick up the phone and always get an answer within a brief period of time. If our nurse doesn’t know the answer to a question, she will contact his physician and find the answer immediately.
“We’re so pleased with the care, but the most amazing gift is our Delaware Hospice volunteer, Andy Parezo."
When Andy Parezo accepted his volunteer assignment to go and visit with Jackson once a week, no one realized that Andy and Jackson shared memories of childhood and young adulthood—years in which Alzheimer’s patients tend to have strong memories.
Andy said, “When I received the assignment, Jack’s name rang a bell, but I didn’t recognize him. As we spent time together and chatted, one remarkable coincidence after another was revealed. Jackson and I are the same age. We both grew up in Washington D.C. where we graduated from different high schools in June of 1939. We both attended Wilson’s Teacher College the next fall, where we remember wearing the obligatory green necktie and green and white felt beanie which were the school colors.
“A few years later, I married a woman who lived near his home, and Jackson and I met on the bus, where we remembered seeing each other at Wilson’s Teacher College. I discovered that Jackson had married Nancy, who had been my date to the high school senior prom. Both of us joined the service shortly after that.
“On one of my visits with Jack, I mentioned that I had been in the army air corps in Greensboro, NC. Jackson suddenly shouted out, ‘BTC10!’ It turns out that Jackson had been part of the permanent cadre at Greensboro, although we never saw each other while stationed there. As a permanent cadre, he lived off-base with Nancy. As a private trainee, I was confined to base until I’d been there long enough to get a pass.”
In 1975, Andy moved to the Eastern Shore. Jackson had also been transferred to Salisbury by his employer. So they both lived once again in the same neighborhood--at one point within a few blocks of each other--and didn’t know it!
Corina grew emotional when she talked of Andy’s visits with her grandfather. “He has good days and bad days; but when Andy comes, he perks up and becomes so animated. Those are his best days.”
Andy and Jackson talk about people from the past and about Washington D.C. as it was in the 1930’s and 40’s. They remember movie theaters and especially the local amusement park, called Glen Echo Park. Jackson said, “My friends and I used to steal rides on the roller coaster. We’d wait for it to slow down at the bottom of the hill, and then jump on. It wasn’t really dangerous, just greasy.”
Corina and her husband, Jim, agree that having Andy visit is one of the greatest bonus factors in the whole deal. Corina said, “It really gets my grandfather going. His brain works; he remembers things that he hasn’t thought about in a very long time. For us, it’s so good to see.”
Jim agreed, “On the good days, I love to listen to the two of them talk because I’m really interested in history. Some things are so amazing, like going to the World Series baseball game in the 1930’s to see the Washington Senators play. Tickets were fifty cents! And Jackson can tell me exactly which trains and buses he took to get here and there.”
Andy Parezo has been a Delaware Hospice volunteer since 2000, visiting patients, participating in the adult survivor program, New Beginnings, helping at the Festival of Trees, and helping out at Camp New Hope for children who have suffered a loss. But this case has been exceptional. “When Jackson piped up with “BCP10,” I actually got chills realizing he had been there, as this base was only in use for a year. You never know who you’re going to meet as a volunteer, but this has been truly a remarkable assignment.”
Jackson Lynn and Delaware Hospice volunteer Andy Parezo share childhood memories during weekly visits.
Volunteers DO make a difference. Fall volunteer training classes at Delaware Hospice will be held in October. For more information, call 800-838-9800 to ask for the Volunteer Coordinator in your county.
MEDIA CONTACT: Beverly Crowl, Public Relations Specialist, Delaware Hospice
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it , 302-547-1816.
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Delaware Hospice is accredited by The Joint Commission.