Do you know how it feels to be isolated and lonely? Are you aware of senior friends and neighbors who don't get out of the house much. Ones that you can reach out to and invite for a walk, or invite for coffee, and even invite to a Bunco party or card game?
I became aware of seniors who were starved for friendships when I had to spend four and one-half months in a rehab hospital facing the possibility of not walking again. My daughter lived two states away and flew in every two weeks for the weekends to see me and take care of my house.I knew I had a lot to face, keep up my spirit, work with a vision of walking again. It was here I began to see isolated seniors. My roommate had no visitors and often cried when I left the room for therapy or dining. Weekends were the worst because the activities director and the physical therapists did not work weekends.It was then I decided to push my wheel chair around and visit. I had to learn to maneuver the wheel chair because I couldn't put my foot down. My left leg was extended straight out in front of me by a leg apparatus attached to the wheelchair and my steel surgical boot made me look like a military tank.
Visiting gave me something to do and along with several hours a day in therapy kept me busy. By reaching out to others it gave me strength and a positive attitude and made the days go by quickly. It was during that time I
began to list what types of service programs would benefit residents in senior facilities. Musical programs topped the list. Providing equipment to download music and play to a group, or downloading talking books. Be creative with new technologies.
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