By Michael Motes

They aren't exactly Batman and Robin, but to numerous elderly shut-ins, convalescents and nursing home residents, Sisters Roberta Sutton and Marcella Meyer are the most "dynamic duo" in the Archdiocese of Atlanta.

The Sisters are full-time "visitors" from Catholic Social Services, Inc., as a part of the "top priority" program of dealing with the aged in the archdiocese. Their work is non-stop as they gather information further stressing the need for a local Catholic Nursing Home.

Both are former educators and taught at Sacred Heart and St. Anthony's in Atlanta. Sister Marcella, a native Georgian, is a past principal of St. Anthony's and was last assigned to the Village of Saint Joseph before joining the Social Services staff.

Sister Roberta's most recent teaching position was at St. Mary's-on-the-Hill in Augusta, having taught since 1943 at numerous schools.

Since July 1977, when the project began, the Sisters have filed written reports on visits to 118 persons, but estimate that they have made contact and spent time with between 150 and 175.

They have encountered humor, pathos and "absolute heartbreak" in their rounds throughout the metropolitan area. But the main observation they have stressed is the lack of proper care in some of the nursing homes they have visited.

"We see the need for a Catholic health care facility more each day," says Sister Roberta. "So many nursing home residents simply don't get the care that they deserve."

Among the more pathetic cases they have reported was one elderly woman who fell from her chair as an attendant was standing nearby. The attendant, a licensed practical nurse, offered no assistance to the woman and the Sisters helped raise her from the floor. They were later responsible for having the woman taken by ambulance to a hospital for much-needed medical treatment.

Another moving experience was a visit that found the faucet running in a nursing home patient's bedroom.

"We didn't say anything at first," related Sister Marcella. "Sometimes the elderly just forget little things like running water. But as it kept running, we asked if she knew about it. 'Of course,' she replied, 'I'm heating my soup.'"

The Sisters' hostess told them that she could not eat the food the nursing home served and that she heated canned soup under the running hot water for her meals.

"Sometimes it's really the members of the person's own family who are to be blamed," the Sisters agreed. "Many elderly people are just lonely and need companionship. But rather than be bothered, their relatives place them in a nursing home and forget about them."

The sisters commented that they have visited many nursing home residents who would be able to care for themselves and maintain their own homes with only minimal assistance.

There are also those who realize that they should leave their home and reside in a health-care facility but are frightened at the prospect of such a drastic move.

"They may have friends in a nursing home and have heard such unfavorable reports that they continue to try to care for themselves when they are not really physically able. This may be a factor in many of the home accidents the elderly suffer," a Sister said.

They have been responsible for saving at least one life during their visits. They arrived at one nursing home to find a woman in near comatose condition with a note pinned to her bed, "Let me die here in dignity." An urgent telephone call to a doctor friend arranged for the woman to be rushed to a private hospital where her life was saved.

The Sisters have established a motto for the elderly: "If you can do it for yourself, you can survive." But they find few who can "do" for themselves.

Not all those visited are as unfortunate as those confined to private institutions. Many amusing anecdotes are related by the sisters.

"We visited one lady whose house was being fixed up as a part of Project Rehab (another Social Services' program aimed at home repairs for those who cannot afford professional services). She was very excited and cordially invited us in," Sister Marcella recalls.

"The lady was most gracious and as we entered her home she suggested we take off our coats and 'hats' and stay awhile."

The "hats" to which the lady referred are the Sisters' short veils.

"She asked where I lived and I told her that I lived with Sister Roberta," Sister Marcella continued.

"Oh, the lady said, "does your husband live with Roberta too?"

Shopping trips, visits to the doctor and numerous errands are arranged by the Sisters for the elderly. One woman insisted on treating them to lunch after they had carried her to the bank.

"The old lady was just about deaf and the restaurant we went to had a large menu posted on a far wall. The lady can't see very well either, so I read the menu to her. I should say 'screamed' the menu to her. After telling her about each item several times and listing all the vegetables available, she ordered a hot dog!"

Ages vary among the group upon whom the Sisters call, ranging from 65 to 101, the latter being one of their real "pets." The sharp-minded centenarian-plus spends most of her time in her room at a local nursing home because she does not like to "mingle with the old people" in the recreational area. She also enjoys a cocktail each evening before dinner.

The majority of the contacts the Sisters make come from lists of shut-ins provided by local parishes. Telephone calls to Catholic Social Services also put Sisters Roberta and Marcella in touch with elderly.

Other contacts they make on their own. An example of this is a recent stop they made to inquire if they could assist an old woman walking along the roadside by herself. They ended up taking the woman to the bank and back to her home, having made a friend for life.

Another errand resulted in an amusing incident. The Sisters picked up an elderly woman at a local high rise complex and took her grocery shopping. Their friend insisted that they not wait, that she could get a bus home. But the good Sisters did wait and carried the woman's sole purchase, a six-pack of beer, back to the high rise for her.

The Sisters have high praise for the concern local pastors and parish members show for the elderly. Several parishes now operate busing services to take shut-ins to Church services and on minor outings for shopping, etc.

"So much is being done, but so much remains to be done," the Sisters agree. "Once we have our Catholic health care facility, there will be no problem filling it up! Then we can rest assured that many of the elderly will receive the proper care and even the pampering they deserve."

Sisters Roberta and Marcella have shared only a few experiences with us. Their diverse activities range from preparing a medical "check list" for a lady to record her daily medications intake to delivering a broken wheelchair to the fix-it shop. They've arranged for a locksmith to open an ancient trunk containing the treasures of an elderly shut-in and taken gifts to many others. The list is endless as is their energy and dedication.

Arrangements for visits from Sisters Roberta and Marcella may be made through the Office for the Aged of Catholic Social Services, Inc.; telephone 404-881-6571. Either Sister Teresa or Sister Kristen will help you and send the "dynamic duo" on their way!