Background & History
The poem, titled “Crabbit” or sometimes “Look Closer” or “What Do You See?”, was written by Phyllis McCormack in 1966 while she was a nurse at Sunnyside Hospital in Montrose. The piece is written from the perspective of an older woman in a nursing home reflecting on her life. The term “Crabbit” is Scots for “bad-tempered” or “grumpy.”
Initially published anonymously in the Nursing Mirror in December 1972, McCormack later explained in a letter to the journal that she had written it for her hospital newsletter. This account was further confirmed by her son in a 1998 Daily Mail article, noting that the poem was first submitted under the title “Look Closer Nurse” to a small magazine for Sunnyside. It later appeared in Chris Searle’s 1973 poetry anthology, “Elders,” without a title or attribution.
How to Get Involved – Join the Movement!
Take action and view this video with your staff, students, and others, reflect on its message and engage in a thoughtful conversation. We have provided some discussion questions to help you get started. Feel free to develop your own prompts to guide the conversation reflecting on individual practices and attitudes when working with older adults.
We encourage you to consider ways you might address a “Call to Action” for your particular group and/or living community. Encourage viewers to identify and commit to specific changes to enhance person-centered care for all older adults in any and all settings.
We hope this video will be integrated into your orientation of new staff, educational sessions, curriculum, included in your newsletters, and used as a tool to promote person-centered care.
Educators & Medical Professionals in
Health and Long-Term Care
We hope this video will be integrated into your orientation of new staff, educational sessions, curriculum, included in your newsletters, and used as a tool to promote person-centered care.
AgingME has provided a discussion guide, list of reflective questions, and practical tips to integrate into your professional work. Available for download below.
Share on Social Media!
Click here to follow AgingME’s social media!
Spread the Word – Help us grow the movement to truly see individuals by sharing the “Crabbit Old Woman” video with your friends, family, colleagues, and on social media!
Suggested hashtags: #AgingME #GWEP #CrabbitOldWoman #SeeTheIndividual #Empathy #HumanRights #AgePositivity #OlderAndWiser #Caregiving #Ageism #Inspiration #Motivation #PayAttention
This video has been translated in 4 languages:
Once you’ve watched the video, we would appreciate if you could complete this short survey.