Hi Guys,
How are you?
Hope keeping well and not getting bored during this lock down period. Now lock downs are getting bit conditional relaxations and now you can move out. Let us talk today about a great way to utilise the time and energy.
Have you ever visited old age homes? In our country we called it as “Vruddhashram” i.e. the place where old age people stay. Most of them are very clean, disciplined and providing good food and amenities to the senior people staying in. Management tries to entertain the seniors in different way. Sometimes based on budget these people move outside to visit some recreation places, temples gardens. Sometimes religious programs arranged etc… There are libraries and newspapers, TV, Radio. Sometime movie shows are arranged within premises.
First time I visited such place with my friend. He used to go to different old age homes during week ends and spend time there with senior citizens by playing games, cards, singing songs, bhajans, chatting and discussions etc. I loved the way he interacted with them. It is not difficult to understand their thinking if you enter in their world as a one of them. I have seen that most of the people are there because of social, domestic, financial reasons. During these last days of the life when they get ample time to sit alone and think, lots of emotions flows out. most of them have some pain with which they are living there. Many of them don’t understand why they are there and why not with family. At this senior age the thought process is stable, rigid, formed out of the so many years of experience. They are tough to compromise. Many have lots of ego. They have developed so called “weird” habits and practices over the period. They are one of the most experienced. Experts in their line of life they lived. Most of them are alone now. They feel the loneliness. They need someone to talk, to understand, to agree with them and sympathise with. We are getting so much irritated with lock down of couple of months, what must be happening to them for such a prolonged dependent lockdown?
It is really a heart touching situation. Even if given a thought that one day we are also going to be old, we can realise that what we should not be. If you spend some time with these people, talk with them and if you are successful enough to become a friend with them then you can get touched with their feelings. Their pain areas and the things most troubling them. They need someone and are looking for someone who can hear them, understand them, their struggle, their knowledge, their habits and appreciate them.
Best way to communicate with them is to touch them. Allow them to touch you. Let them feel the closeness, put hands across their shoulder, touch cheeks to cheek. Give hand to help them stand up.Keep silence and listen them carefully by nodding head or saying hmm, ya, yes, yap, you are right, OMG, wow, uff, oh… and much more. They will be happy. They will feel relaxed once they complete. Give full time to them. Don’t look to watch or try to hurry or finish and then they are your best friends.
Take chocolates or icecreams (take note if have diabetes) or take sugar free ice creams. This helps in making to feel the belongingness. Understand their likings and yes, make the commitments which are practicable and possible. If you said you will come next time then GO. Never miss it. Because they will wait and wait and look for you and once they realise that you are not coming then they will get into a deep nervousness, more than ever. For most of the times emotions is the only string keeping them attached…
Try to visit once and if you really get in tune with it, I bet you will visit again and again making more friends to share their bright moments and make their life more happy… It is one of the best novel way to utilise free time.
Hope you agree and like this thought…