Dialects are magic words that soften the heart.

"Please speak in standard Japanese."

When told that,

of course, I can do so.

But,

strangely enough,

the moment I speak in my hometown dialect,

don't you find that your heart softens as well?

Working in nursing care,

I feel that power time and time again.

As dementia progresses,

there are users who rarely hold conversations.

They show little reaction or expression,

and even when I ask them something, there is no reply.

One day,

A new staff member casually spoke up.

“It's a nice day today, isn't it?”

That was all it took.

The resident's expression softened instantly,

“It sure is.”

they replied with a smile.

All the staff around were surprised.

Because the person, who had shown little reaction until then,

had started a conversation naturally.

The staff member was also surprised, and

"Dialects really are amazing, aren't they?"

they laughed.

A dialect is

not just a way of speaking.

It is the hometown where that person grew up.

Memories with family.

Times spent laughing with friends.

Days of youth.

I believe it is a language

packed with that very life itself.

That is why the moment you hear it,

old memories come back to life,

They must have felt at ease.

In nursing care, there is a method called

"reminiscence therapy" for dementia care.

It is a method of helping people recall the past,

by looking at old photos or singing nostalgic songs.

It is a way to help them remember the past.

Actually,dialectsare also,

said to havejust as much poweras that.

One resident was usually expressionless.

However, when a staff member from the same prefecture said,

"It's cold today, isn't it?."

they responded.

"Yeah, it's not cold."

They replied with a natural smile.

After that,

stories about the village they used to live in,

stories about the rice fields,

stories about the festivals...

It was as if

the hands of the clock had been turned back decades.

We learn caregiving techniques.

We also learn dementia care.

We also learn risk management.

Of course, all of these are important.

However,

what opens a person's heart

is not just impressive qualifications or knowledge.

Just one nostalgic word can

sometimes move a person's heart.

One day,

a user said this to me.

"When I speak in dialect, I feel like I've returned home.."

Hearing those words made my heart swell with emotion.

A facility is a place to live.

But,

to become a place where one can truly feel at ease,

it is not about the newness of the building,

Human warmthmight be what is needed.

There are no right or wrong answers in dialects.

It is okay to have a slight accent.

It is okay to misspeak.

What is important is

"I care about you" that

the feeling is conveyed.

That feeling,

will surely reach them as the warmth hidden within the words.

Caregiving is a job that supports people.

But in reality,

I feel that we are supported by the users

more often than not.

Time spent laughing together in dialect.

Time spent reminiscing about the past.

"Thank you."

"Let's talk again."

Such casual conversations

turn an ordinary day into a special one.

We live in a convenient age.

An age where AI writes text,

and with just a smartphone,

you can connect with people all over the world.

Even so,

what warms a person's heart the most is

A bit clumsy,

a bit nostalgic,

words that hold the warmth of peoplearen't they?

Aren't they?

Dialects are letters from home.

And,

those letters, even as you grow older,

never fade.

Today, in the field of nursing care,

someone is laughing in a dialect,

and someone is being saved by those words.

Words are

not just for speaking.

They are for bringing hearts closer together.are for.

There is something I have learned while continuing to provide care.

People,

even if they forget things,

do not forget warmth.

And,

that warmth,

gently carried by gentle dialects,

is passed on from person to person, I believe.

Today,

if you have the chance to talk to someone dear to you,

why not try speaking a little in your hometown's dialect?

I am sure that in their heart,

and in your own heart as well,

a nostalgic and warm breeze will blow.

Thank you for reading until the end😊