The Visitor of Patients in Hospitals (VMEH) association has existed for a century and its Indrian branch now has seventy volunteers. Eleven of them operate in the Issoudun sector. Évelyne Delohen is one of them and, as soon as she walks through the doors of the Bel Air nursing home, we hear “ Hello my dear ! “. My darling, that’s the little name by which several residents call her. Évelyne returns the greeting and, with her hand on her shoulder, asks them for their news. How do they feel today? Did they sleep well? Won the last lottery game?
“ I have been a visitor for twenty years “, she says. “ I worked at Vuitton. A work accident forced me to interrupt my professional career, but I couldn’t see myself remaining doing nothing, not being useless. » Évelyne has the strength of optimism. “ The humor and good humor she conveys are very appreciated by residents », testifies Nicolas Piédois, health executive at the Bel Air nursing home, “ and corresponds wonderfully to what we are trying to make of this establishment: an open place of life and exchange “.
From left to right: Ginette, Liliane, Evelyne Delohen and behind, Raymonde, at the Bel Air nursing home in Issoudun (Indre).
© (Photo Yvan Bernaer)
Liliane – who no longer remembers her exact age – looks forward to each visit: “ Évelyne, she’s easy to talk to and she’s good for your morale! » Ginette sitting next to him nods. When she has greeted Simone and Grandpa, who remained in their room upstairs, Évelyne promises to come downstairs to put on some music; and, why not, if the two women are in good shape, dance with them.
“For me, it’s a feeling…”
“ Each visitor has their own way of interacting », continues the former Vuitton worker. “ For me, it’s by feeling. I adapt to the mood of the day. I sit with them when I feel that they want to talk, slip away if they want to watch their soap opera, motivate them to go down and play with the others if I feel that gloom or loneliness is gaining on them. »
Some residents still receive visits from their families, but some no longer have them, or the links have broken. This concerns the elderly, but more sadly some young people hospitalized, too. “ I do what I can to bring a little light into their lives », concludes Évelyne. Room 105 is André, 87 years old. “ Will you buy us a drink, Grandpa? “. “ I only have water! » « Only water? But I want beer! » Here they go laughing.
