b y K E R R Y PA R K
SENIOR ISSUES
Aging on display It would be impossible to walk into Ralph Gaulien’s room at Heritage Hills Nursing and Rehabilitation Center and not be impressed. And, it’s hard to imagine who could have a five-minute conversation with the man and not be inspired. Gaulien is the antithesis of what most people think of when imagining a 94-year-old nursing home resident. His days are full and his talents are many, the evidence of which is spread out across his room. A former engineer, Gaulien is known far and wide for his detailed creations - exhibits that tell the story of his life. In one corner of his room sits a working carousel, in another an in-depth replica of the Towers in Narragansett. Airplanes, blimps, the Eiffel Tower - all sorts of examples of his abilities crowd the space. With rare exception, most things are made from scratch, using whatever materials he can get his hands on. “I make everything out of junk. That’s my claim to fame,” he says. The foundation of his Narragansett Towers model, for example, is made from Morton salt containers, though one would never know it. Thousands of hand-made bricks cover the structure, and when the creation is finally completed, hundreds of pebbles, assembled with glue and tweezers with painstaking meticulousness, will form a stonewall enclosing the scene. Gaulien spent two years of his childhood at the Towers when his father worked at the casino and his familiarity with the renowned building is evident. So too is his artistic talent and engineering precision. A World War II aircraft with only one engine and half the landing gear gone graces another corner. Gaulien created it to look just the way it was when he last landed it. And the carousel in the corner? It’s much like one he built with his late wife that still stands in the Lincoln Senior Center today. When not “building,” you might find Gaulien on Facebook, reading or writ-
ing an article for the facility’s newsletter, or playing an organ that a family who “adopted” him gave him. Though not a gardener, he recently suggested raised garden beds, which Heritage Hills will install this spring. Clearly, he intends to live life to the fullest and hopes to engage others to do so as well. His next project, he says, is a replica of the State House. When asked if his considerable talents could fix the problems inside the structure when the project is complete, his devilish grin says it all. “I have too much to do,” he cheerfully complains about all his projects, but one can tell he wouldn’t have it any other way. Mother’s Day marks the beginning of National Nursing Home Week, a week to honor those who live and work in America’s nursing homes. Too often, we fail to realize that the individuals residing in our skilled nursing are dynamic, vibrant personalities like Gaulien. And though Gaulien’s gifts are exceptional, he is not alone. Knowing that it’s difficult to bring people like Gaulien to life on paper but impossible not to be impacted by them in person, the Rhode Island Health Care Association (RIHCA) - a professional organization comprised of skilled nursing and rehabilitation facilities throughout Rhode Island - encourages everyone to visit a local nursing home between May 12 and 18, and in fact, throughout the year. “Enjoying the gifts that our residents can impart is something we can do not only for them, but also for ourselves,” said Virginia Burke, RIHCA’s president and CEO. “Our residents have so much to share. They are an important part of our community - we owe ourselves the opportunity to learn from them.” For a complete listing of RIHCA members participating in National Nursing Home Week, visit www.rihca. com.
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Kim Bixby ~ 4014440789 ~ memory@lifespan.org
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