98-year-old nursing home volunteer: Dynamic resident spends her time helping Alzheimer's patients

You go, Mrs. Walker! :thumbsup:
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Catherine Walker, 98, calling a bingo game at The Pointe at Kilpatrick skilled
nursing facility in Crestwood, Ill., Thursday, August 13, 2009. With her 99th
birthday coming up, Walker has led a remarkable life. She spends most of her
time volunteering at the home's Alzheimer's unit.

98-year-old nursing home volunteer: Dynamic resident spends her time helping Alzheimer's patients
Nearly 99, Catherine Walker doing 'amazing things' at Crestwood facility

August 22, 2009
Catherine Walker is 98 years old, soon to be 99, and if she wants to sing a song about beer, she'll sing it. If someone's bugging her, she'll say so. And if you ask about her carrot cake recipe, she'll tell you it's unrivaled.

<snip>

Walker has been a resident at The Pointe for five years. Eschewing an array of daily activities and social events, she spends her time volunteering -- often more than 40 hours a week -- in the New Day Memory Support Area, a wing of the facility devoted to residents who have Alzheimer's disease.

It's there that she has found a late-in-life joy, lending her razor-sharp memory and shoot-from-the-hip humor to a room full of people who at times struggle to recall their last names.

"I love these people here," Walker says, standing at a table, helping a group of her friends make beaded jewelry. "I just love them. There's Christine -- she's my singing partner. And Pat down there. We just have a good old time."

And with a quick "Ohhhhh ..." from Walker, the group breaks into song: "... I want a beer, just like the beer that pickled dear old Dad ..."

<snip>

Raised on the South Side with three brothers who taught her how to fight. Plagued by polio at 18, told she'd never walk, proved the doctors wrong. Learned to drive stick on a 1925 Ford. Made gas masks during World War II. Worked nearly 20 years on the line at a radio factory, led a walkout over poor wages and won. Married, no kids, husband died a quarter century ago. She kept going.

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Thank you for reminding us of the good that is in the world.

Mornin', timtom! :hi:

Heidi, you young cailin (that's colleen in english).

but I thank you for your kindness. :rofl:

:hug:

everybody in the world is younger than I.

Kidding, kidding, timtom. I'm 46 but age is a state of mind, in my opinion. :hug:

Not.

You will be pleased, I promise. I've shared this recipe with many, many DUers and have gotten only rave reviews.

Aargau Carrot Cake
12 servings

INGREDIENTS:
Cake
3 eggs
3/4 cup white sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons grated lemon zest (I use grated orange zest)
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (I use fresh squeezed orange juice)
1 cup grated carrots
1 cup ground almonds
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 pinch salt

Glaze
3/4 cup confectioners' sugar
1 tablespoon lemon juice (I sometimes use freshly-squeezed orange juice with a little freshly-grated orange zest mixed in for "Oomph!")

DIRECTIONS:
1. Prepare the 9 inch cake pan by rubbing the inside well with a drop of cooking oil and then scattering a little flour over it. (I use a tube pan and line it with cooking parchment for easier cleanup) Preheat oven to 360 degrees F (180 degrees C).

2. Separate the eggs and beat the yolks into the sugar thoroughly. Add lemon juice and grated rind, carrots, almonds, flour, baking powder and salt. Mix well.

3. Beat egg whites until stiff and fold into cake mixture. Pour batter into 9 inch cake pan (or tube pan)

4. Bake at 360 degrees F (180 degrees C) for 45 minutes. (I insert a wooden shish-kabob stick into the center of the cake; if it comes out clean, the cake is done.)

5. After cooling, this cake is often iced with 3/4 cup confectioners sugar into which is beaten 1 tablespoon lemon juice. Little marzipan carrots are the traditional decoration.

Mrs. Walker rules!

K&R