Waffles and Dignity

This morning at work, I took a few minutes while the dishwasher in the Daisy kitchen was going through a de-liming cycle and sat with some residents who were having a late breakfast. The conversation is almost always pleasant and I enjoy the interaction.
One elderly woman who was sitting opposite me was served a waffle on a plate. The aide that was attending the dining area offered to butter the waffle, pour the syrup, and cut the waffle for her. Although she accepted help getting the syrup lid off of the container, she refused all other help, stating that she wanted to try to do it on her own.
Cutting the waffle was almost agonizing for me to watch. She started first with the side of her fork, but when that didn’t cut all the way through, she picked up her knife and used it and the fork to complete the cut. She then cut off chunks of waffle that were the right size to eat and after several minutes got to eat some breakfast. She seemed pleased with herself that she could do these things, albeit with difficulty, on her own.
I haven’t a clue how much her arthritic fingers, elbows, and shoulders hurt during this time. I do know that she watched her hands intently while working with her breakfast, as if willing them somehow to do her bidding. I also know that she maintained a good attitude and even joked a little about her ordeal while I was there.
I almost felt guilty as I slid the chair back, got up (more or less effortlessly) and walked with my coffee cup over to the pot to get a refill, then on to the dishwasher to see if it was working correctly.
Older people sometimes think they are useless…that they have no more to give. I learned a lot today about dignity, independence, attitude, and fortitude. And it came from a woman cutting a waffle.