It was the one of the most gracious acts of human compassion I had witness in several years. I was sitting at one of the dining tables at a nursing home when I noticed a Hispanic female nurse’s aid dabbing food from the corner of an elderly male resident’s mouth. The elderly man looked up at her and smiled, obviously thankful for her tenderness. He watched her as she pushed his food tray aside, and gently removed the napkin that was tucked into his shirt collar. Then she walked behind him, grabbed the handles on his wheelchair and slowly pulled him away from the table. I followed them with my eyes and she eased him out of the dining room into the hallway. I presumed they were on the way to his room where I’m sure she was going to help him get ready for his afternoon nap.

The senior residents who live in the nursing home could not survive without dedicated aides like that Hispanic woman. They tend to their every need. They make sure they eat and take their medicine. They help them take their baths and get dressed for the day. Sometimes they even fix their female residents’ hair.

Sadly, on that particular day, the nursing home was empty of visitors. There were no family members or church groups roaming the hallways, looking to spread good cheer. The podium where volunteers call bingo games stood silent.

I’m not being critical of the church groups and volunteers who normally visit the nursing home. I’ve seen them there before and they do a wonderful job entertaining the residents. The residents seem to be especially fond of the sing-a-longs in which they gather in the dining hall with church groups and sing old hymns. Oh, and don’t let me forget about the bingo. The residents love bingo.

However, there are going to be times, like the day I happened to be there, when, for one reason or another, the church groups and volunteers just can’t be at the nursing home. On those days, the resident’s well being, both physically and mentally, is left in the hands of the nurses and the aides. From what I’ve seen, they go well beyond what their jobs require to keep the residents healthy and happy.

If not for the nurses and aides, the loneliness would have been unbearable. As I left the dining hall, I heard another aid joking with one of the residents. Her laughter filled the room and echoed down the corridor. It gave the place a warm feeling, like a cup of coco brimming with marshmallows on a cold winter day.

I know there has got to be times when they feel like their job is a thankless position. The pays is low and the hours are long. Most of us could not handle what they have to endure at work.

I just want them to know how much I appreciate what they do for their elderly residents. They treat them like family. For the most part, they are the gold in their residents’ golden years. Thank God for them.