“The care that my parents receive is proof that love can be expressed in so many ways and not only between couples, family members, or friends but also through the daily attention that nurses and carers, amongst other staff, offer”. This was stated by Josephine Sgandurra Pullicino who has her mother Vivienne, 86 years old, and her father Edwin, 91 years old, residing at Casa Marija, since February 2022.
In her interview for this year’s CareNet edition, Josephine explains how her parents lived in Sliema for many years, so for them living at Casa Marija, which is situated in Sliema, is all they could have asked for, a place they can truly call home. She further explains how her father suffers from dementia and how for her mother the situation at their home was becoming overwhelming. Josephine also mentions how the coronavirus pandemic made her father’s condition even worse and that is when, as a family, they decided that their parents needed constant, professional care.
“Given my father’s condition, knowing that he is receiving the specialised care he needs, we now have our mind at peace. Even for my mother, we now know that if something happens to my father, he will receive immediate attention and that reassures her”.
Josephine continues explaining how living in a CareMalta facility meant that her parents’ life could still go on and that they found a new sense of happiness. She mentioned one event that the facility organised for her parents which for the family meant so much – her parent’s 68th wedding anniversary. “The facility organised an event for them to celebrate their anniversary, which they and we, did not expect. They managed to create such wonderful memories of this celebration and we are so thankful for it”.
Together with the rest of her family, Josephine feels serene, knowing that whenever she has queries about her parent’s health, she is always provided with answers and support. She considers her mother’s and father’s experience as a positive one and believes that the decision for them to reside in a facility was worth giving a try as they found another community that they now belong to and which gives them a new sense of happiness.