Profiles in Quarantine

You're Never Too Old To Grow: Spitfire Octogenarian Ellen Gilbert On Change.

June 01, 2020
Profiles in Quarantine
You're Never Too Old To Grow: Spitfire Octogenarian Ellen Gilbert On Change.
Show Notes

Meet the gracious, bright, analytical octogenarian Ellen Olson Gilbert, former nursing educational leader, chief nursing officer for psychiatric hospitals, and also my mom. As a person who’s lived ¾ of a century, she’s seen a lot. It was super sweet and cathartic hearing about her experiences as a child of gypsy nurses, how life choices she made early shaped her work experiences with contact tracing during Tuberculosis, creating a revolutionary approach to nurses training, and champion of mental health. She shares how constant change has impacted her life and the impact of centuries old collective trauma on our world today. She also reveals a deep, lifelong tendency that she has released due to her reflections in quarantine. There’s even a moment of healing between us as her story unfolds. I love you mom! (Pardon the sound. We couldn't get the Zoom to work but we Midwestern girls are scrappy and determined so we made it work.) Poetry Credit: "Change, The Inevitable" by Jack Harris.