Officially I was not supposed to stay longer than ten minutes alongside Mr. Meier’s bed.
The public health insurance companies in Germany just pay for ten minutes a day per demented patient. Ten minutes of talking a day. Ten minutes for taking a walk. Ten minutes a day for company. Mr. Yard, a former boss of the senior home I am working in, liked to mention this fact.
We are supposed to ignore the seniors not yet suffering of dementia.
We aren’t being paid for that.
I always left Mr. Meier’s bedside after half an hour.
I was happy having an excuse for doing that.
Just listening to his cries.
Feeling helpless.
Not being able to do anything.
I couldn´t reach him anymore.
I was happy to have an excuse for leaving him alone.
Alone, crying out loud for help.
