--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: .. they look like they've escaped from a…" description: "\"“.. they look like they've escaped from a nursing home. Everywhere I turn I see puffy skin & radiant expressions, crinkles & pearls, broad smiles & hig..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7c0/tim-latham-89335_good-writing_they-look-like-they-ve-escaped-from-a-nu_848360.jpg" --- # .. they look like they've escaped from a nursing home… ![“.. they look like they've escaped from a nursing home. Everywhere I turn I see puffy skin & radiant expressions, crinkles & pearls, broad smiles & high hair... Collectively they all lean forward, like bamboo in the wind. Their postures may be cruelled by age but their excitement is adolescent…” quote by Tim Latham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7c0/tim-latham-89335_good-writing_they-look-like-they-ve-escaped-from-a-nu_848360.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7c0/tim-latham-89335_good-writing_they-look-like-they-ve-escaped-from-a-nu_848360.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7c0/tim-latham-89335_good-writing_they-look-like-they-ve-escaped-from-a-nu_848360.jpg) > ““.. they look like they've escaped from a nursing home. Everywhere I turn I see puffy skin & radiant expressions, crinkles & pearls, broad smiles & high hair... Collectively they all lean forward, like bamboo in the wind. Their postures may be cruelled by age but their excitement is adolescent. Cackling & wheezing with laughter the elderly hordes squeeze into the waiting vans & shuffle about...”” [Tim Latham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-latham/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Elderly people are portrayed with youthful exuberance and humor, contrasting physical frailty with vibrant spirit. **In simple terms:** Older adults can be lively and joyful despite age. Key Takeaway Respect and celebrate seniors’ spirited energy. Themes elderly joy humor age vibrancy Mood warm humorous observational Type descriptive social commentary empathetic When to use this quote - elder care facilities - community events - storytelling workshops - media representation - family gatherings Key Concepts gerontology social perception of aging intergenerational empathy Questions to Reflect On - How can society better support both the vitality and needs of seniors? A Different Perspective May romanticizing aging overlook genuine health challenges? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Age Excitement](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/age-excitement-720014/) [Elderly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/elderly/) [Elderly Hordes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/elderly-hordes-720013/) [Good writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-writing/) [Laughter Elderly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/laughter-elderly-720012/) [Nursing home](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nursing-home/) [Wheezing Laughter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wheezing-laughter-720015/) ## Related quotes > [“... a slipstream of darkness so complete it helps illuminate the evening sky. It's like somebody dropped a dome over the ocean & lit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-latham/a-slipstream-of-darkness-so-complete-it-helps-illuminate-the-evening/) [Tim Latham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-latham/) > [It was a busy morning, approximately 8:30AM, when an elderly gentleman in his 80's, arrived to have stitches removed from his thumb. He stated…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pooja/it-was-a-busy-morning-approximately-8-30am-when-an-elderly-gentleman/) [Pooja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pooja/) > [“I’m getting gray hair in all sorts of crazy places. Like all over my carpet. It’s like I live in a nursing home, except…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jarod-kintz/i-m-getting-gray-hair-in-all-sorts-of-crazy-places-like-all-over-my/) [Jarod Kintz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jarod-kintz/) > [“I pressed her. Why? He had adjusted to where he was. He’d reassembled the pieces of a life—a friend, a routine, some things he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/atul-gawande/i-pressed-her-why-he-had-adjusted-to-where-he-was-he-d-reassembled/) [Atul Gawande](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/atul-gawande/) > [“33 old people went into a nursing home, and only 34 people came out alive. One old woman died while giving birth to twins.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jarod-kintz/33-old-people-went-into-a-nursing-home-and-only-34-people-came-out/) [Jarod Kintz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jarod-kintz/) > [They usually have a piano in every nursing home, and I always wanted to perform for whoever would listen when I learned something. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erykah-badu/they-usually-have-a-piano-in-every-nursing-home-and-i-always-wanted/) [Erykah Badu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erykah-badu/) > [In a hospital they throw you out into the street before you are half cured, but in a nursing home they don't let you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-bernard-shaw/in-a-hospital-they-throw-you-out-into-the-street-before-you-are-half/) [George Bernard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bernard-shaw/) > [Call a nursing home and get the names of five people who don't often receive mail. Send each one a Christmas card and sign…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/call-a-nursing-home-and-get-the-names-of-five-people-who-don-t-often/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [ In my very first term there was an issue that brought us \[George Mitchell, Ted Kennedy, Chris Dodd\] together in a very deep, emotional,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-mikulski/in-my-very-first-term-there-was-an-issue-that-brought-us-george/) [Barbara Mikulski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-mikulski/) > [I have interviewed so many people who are put into nursing homes or hospices and are just waiting to die. It's a very lonely…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/misty-upham/i-have-interviewed-so-many-people-who-are-put-into-nursing-homes-or/) [Misty Upham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/misty-upham/) > [When I approach a more mature age, I am not going to live in America. Visiting my grandmother, when she was 94, which is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/loung-ung/when-i-approach-a-more-mature-age-i-am-not-going-to-live-in-america/) [Loung Ung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/loung-ung/) > [Ignore him," Heather begged. "I do. Constantly." Jean-Luc studied the coach, then turned to Heather with a wary look. "Every man in this town…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kerrelyn-sparks/ignore-him-heather-begged-i-do-constantly-jean-luc-studied-the-coach/) [Kerrelyn Sparks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kerrelyn-sparks/) > [My first job was in a nursing home - a terrible place in retrospect. It was in an old house, and the residents were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-edwards/my-first-job-was-in-a-nursing-home-a-terrible-place-in-retrospect-it/) [Kim Edwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-edwards/) > [They say 'life is precious'. To who? To you, when you're young and you've got a few dollars in your pocket. Tell that to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doug-stanhope/they-say-life-is-precious-to-who-to-you-when-you-re-young-and-you-ve/) [Doug Stanhope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doug-stanhope/) > [I was raised to volunteer: nursing homes, clinics, church nurseries, school, everywhere that could use help. It's such an intrinsic part of me, to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/debby-ryan/i-was-raised-to-volunteer-nursing-homes-clinics-church-nurseries/) [Debby Ryan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/debby-ryan/) ## More by Tim Latham > [“... a slipstream of darkness so complete it helps illuminate the evening sky. It's like somebody dropped a dome over the ocean & lit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-latham/a-slipstream-of-darkness-so-complete-it-helps-illuminate-the-evening/) [Tim Latham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-latham/) [Explore all 2 Tim Latham quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-latham/) ## More Elderly quotes > [Elect me to office. I will protect and defend the U.S. Constitution. Because there's no constitutional authority for Congress spending on the objects of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-e-williams/elect-me-to-office-i-will-protect-and-defend-the-u-s-constitution/) [Walter E. Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-e-williams/) > [The elderly have so much to offer. They're our link with history.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cusack/the-elderly-have-so-much-to-offer-they-re-our-link-with-history/) [John Cusack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cusack/) > [The investment in our mining industry has been very positive for Australia but we need to be doing more if we want, as I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gina-rinehart/the-investment-in-our-mining-industry-has-been-very-positive-for/) [Gina Rinehart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gina-rinehart/) > [The majority of the Negroes who took part in the year-long boycott of Montgomery's buses were poor and untutored; but they understood the essence…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/the-majority-of-the-negroes-who-took-part-in-the-year-long-boycott-of/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [At this point two elderly security guards in parkas, the guys who normally work the front desk at the plant, asked John to step…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-wong/at-this-point-two-elderly-security-guards-in-parkas-the-guys-who/) [David Wong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-wong/) > [“The young man pities his elders, fearing the day he, too, will join their ranks. The elderly man pities the younger generation, well-knowing the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lynda-i-fisher/the-young-man-pities-his-elders-fearing-the-day-he-too-will-join/) [Lynda I Fisher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lynda-i-fisher/) > [When facing a child, I become a child. When facing an elderly person, or a husband, or a wife, in my heart, I too…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/masahisa-goi/when-facing-a-child-i-become-a-child-when-facing-an-elderly-person-or/) [Masahisa Goi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/masahisa-goi/) > [“You will not apply for membership, but the tribe of the elderly will claim you. Your present will not keep pace with the world’s.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-mitchell/you-will-not-apply-for-membership-but-the-tribe-of-the-elderly-will/) [David Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-mitchell/) > [All Kings, and all their favorites, All glory of honors, beauties, wits, The sun itself, which makes times, as they pass, Is elder by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-donne/all-kings-and-all-their-favorites-all-glory-of-honors-beauties-wits/) [John Donne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-donne/) > [“We must learn as long as we live.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/we-must-learn-as-long-as-we-live/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > [A long time ago, in a town with which I used to be familiarly acquainted, there dwelt an elderly person of grim aspect, known…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathaniel-hawthorne/a-long-time-ago-in-a-town-with-which-i-used-to-be-familiarly/) [Nathaniel Hawthorne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathaniel-hawthorne/) > [“Malnutrition is a plague in the elderly.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-magee/malnutrition-is-a-plague-in-the-elderly/) [Steven Magee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-magee/) > [Obamacare is going to destroy the elderly by denying care, by even perhaps denying treatment to people who are in catastrophic circumstances.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rafael-cruz/obamacare-is-going-to-destroy-the-elderly-by-denying-care-by-even/) [Rafael Cruz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rafael-cruz/) > [Walking abroad, one is the admiration of all little boys, and meets an approving glance from every eye of elderly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wilfred-owen/walking-abroad-one-is-the-admiration-of-all-little-boys-and-meets-an/) [Wilfred Owen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wilfred-owen/) > [Our population is growing rapidly because of our good health policy. When I came into office, there were 14 million Ugandans, today there are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yoweri-museveni/our-population-is-growing-rapidly-because-of-our-good-health-policy/) [Yoweri Museveni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yoweri-museveni/) [Browse all 446 Elderly quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/elderly/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“.. they look like they've escaped from a nursing home. Everywhere I turn I see puffy skin & radiant expressions, crinkles & pearls, broad smiles & high hair... Collectively they all lean forward, like bamboo in the wind. Their postures may be cruelled by age but their excitement is adolescent. 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