“You don't have to speak the same language to communicate.”

My husband's uncle lives in a nursing home..I have seen him maybe a dozen times in 9 years..he has a wife, family and others that visit him all the time..I thought about what it must be like to live in a nursing home, unable to walk (amputee), unable to hear well (refuses to wear his hearing aids), had a stoke (left side paralysis)..my heart was so full of emotion..I decided to pay him a visit..unannounced and without my husband..I bought his favorite bar of chocolate (white, sugar free).. When I finally found him..he was surprised to see me..he looked around and he said my husband's name..I shook my head no..my uncle doesn't speak much English..he speaks French and Yiddish (none of which I speak)..I showed him the candy bar and it was on like Donkey Kong..pointing his finger he requested piece after piece..and cups of diet soda..unbeknownst to me I came right before lunch time..when their lunch arrived..he reluctantly tried one spoon of some unidentifiable puréed mush and then shook his head defiantly..then a staff member brought out some food my aunt made him ( she makes all his meals..I didn't know that) and I tried to encourage him to eat..feeding him by spoon..a staff member came over and said he must like you because he usually spits the food at you..I felt truly honored..he eventually ate, by himself, some of his wife's cooking..I then took him downstairs to sit with him by the window to look outside..it was too cold to go out..we sat there in silence smiling at each other..I had a beautiful day thanks to my uncle.