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‘Beautiful Old Souls’

Local photographer captures faces of nursing home residents

PHOTO PROVIDED Photographer Sandy Considine takes photographs of Susque-View residents Peggy Bartlebaugh, left, and Lois St. Clair. Their pictures will be included in Sandy’s book, “Beautiful Old Souls,” a compilation of photographs of senior citizens.

By LANA MUTHLER

lmuthler@lockhaven.com

LOCK HAVEN — Nursing homes conjure up mixed emotions, sadness yet peace of mind that a loved one is being cared for when relatives no longer have the ability to do so. It is a tough decision for many. There are family disputes. Some family members won’t visit. There are tears and hugs and smiles.

So why would anyone want to go there and photograph residents who are having a bad day, a good day, ones who do not know why they are there and want to go home?

That’s the question Sandy Considine asked herself as she contemplated taking pictures of men and women residing at Susque-View nursing home and publishing her photographs in a book.

She admits she was apprehensive when she first got there; all the memories came flooding back of her own grandma being a resident there long ago.

Many residents reminded her of her grandma with their smile, their colorful throws, stuffed animals or even doll babies. She clearly remembered her grandma’s room and where she would sit, out in the hallway. But also, she recalled that even though her grandma did not know her family members anymore, she could feel her family’s presence and something familiar about them would give her comfort.

“A long time ago I had a dream to photograph nursing home residents but was not sure I could make it happen. I wanted to create still frames of their life as it is right now. Good days, bad days, fun days, all of it. People thought I was crazy for wanting to do this. I said why? Their reply was because it is too sad,” Sandy said.

“Yes, it is sad and I have come home and had emotional falling-apart days. But to be honest, I have had more uplifting and heartfelt days with getting to know the residents, listening to their stories, their likes and dislikes, the smile when they see me and my camera. All the ladies ask me if their hair is looking okay.

“I have come to realize that all they want is companionship, someone to talk to other than staff. They want to feel wanted, still needed and a hand to hold. They want visitors and nothing more, someone to laugh with, listen to them or someone to just sit quietly so they are not alone,” Sandy said.

She recalled a conversation with a resident who was seeing a boy in the doorway and asked if he was with Sandy, was he her son. The conversation continued as if Sandy saw him also and they decided his name was Wayne.

“You have to be where they are at that moment, and that brings them joy and it also fills your heart,” Sandy said.

Photographing 20 residents is challenging at times, Sandy said. And some days she only gets to four residents due to treatments or sleeping.

Some residents are quite active and are hard to track down. Other residents never leave their bed and some are there with their spouse sharing the same room.

“I have seen and felt their unselfish love and their dedication to each other. They want to share with me what they have, like candy or even chocolate milk. They share photos of great-grandchildren or of their younger self. They talk of times gone by. They laugh, they cry, they become silent.

“Why do I photograph nursing home residents? Because they are here and they have a story to tell through their faces and in their eyes. You just have to look. They may not be the same or look the same but they matter. Their world is now different and I want to preserve the years of beauty they hold. All their years of life is written on their face, so I photograph the years,” Sandy continued.

Sandy’s photographs are going to be published in a print-to-order book on Amazon. The book will feature 20 residents or more with the photos being all black and white. The publication date will be announced at a later time, but the goal is summer of 2017.

“For me, every picture tells a story, every picture creates a memory and every picture should evoke an emotion within you. I photograph what I love, what has meaning and what I want to preserve,” Sandy said.

“Beautiful Old Souls” is the title of her book.

If you have a loved one whom you would like to be included in the book, please contact Teresa Fortney at Susque-View and Sandy will be glad to add another photo to her book.

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