Stories Matching 'Elderly' Tag (117 matches)



A 72 Year-Old Gem

Today, I was at an ATM that is situated inside a petrol bunk.  The security guard (who was a 72 year-old man) gently reminded me that I cannot use my cell phone inside the ATM.  When I came outside, I had a desire to talk with him. At first, I felt a little sympathetic.  In my initial impression, he seemed like a poor, elderly retired man who was still working at this ATM.  I ended up listening to him.   He spoke to me about his family, and particularly about his son and daughter. He told me that his daughter always cares for him, even though she is married herself. Then he described his son, who "has a heart of stone".  He advised me me to save money for my old age (not that I am all that young :)), and I told him that I give away everything, trusting in the bounty ... Read Full Story >>

4011 Reads

Kindness reverted by greater kindness

It is raining very heavily and roads are flooded. I know an elderly couple who stay in a tent made of plastic sheets. The old man begs and old lady cooks from whatever he gets home. I thought about their plight and went to their tent carrying some food with me. they both gratefully accepted it.

The old lady asked me, "How did you come in such rains? Are you alright?" I was touched by her concern for me when she and her family are in such danger and facing hunger. Later my friends and I went with supplies to last them for sometime in case rain does not stop. 

2613 Reads
  • Posted by sahyadrian
  • Oct 22, 2014
  • 14 Comments
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My Best Birthday Ever

After being inspired by a video of a young Pakistani man celebrating his 22nd birthday with 22 random acts of kindness, I mentioned to my girlfriend Tamara that I'd like to do the same for my upcoming 55th birthday in December. Well, she grabbed onto the idea and made it happen. We wore goofy reindeer antlers to make people smile, placed cheery stickers on the shirts of children, cleaned up a park, passed out delicious Mexican hot chocolate to those in the park--many of whom appeared homeless, offered bottled water and compassionate listening in the shopping mall, played rock/scissors/papers with a bored 10 year old boy who was waiting for his sisters to finish shopping, and more. The highlight for me occurred at the end of the day when we were passing out carnation flowers in a retirement home after their dinner. At first I found myself questioning my motives and how it would be received.  It turned ... Read Full Story >>

2703 Reads
  • Posted by WaterDog
  • Mar 8, 2015
  • 20 Comments
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In My Late Twenties ...

In my late twenties I taught aqua-fitness for three years (three times a week). I was also teaching swimming to people afraid of the water. I had an amazing lady of 77 years old, that just began to love water at that age. It was beautiful to see her new love story with water as she was so scared of it for so many years before. I was also finishing my bachelor in psychology at that time and thought about the incredible positive psychological impact all that had in her life. It was beautiful to see her evolve in the water.... playing and having fun! She felt so good about her swimming,that she started to become more active. She used to run on the her roof top, begun to do yoga again and she fell in love with a new neighbor.... her eyes were twinkling! she told me it was like ... Read Full Story >>

3379 Reads

Low Income Rich

I am a low-income senior, but I have enough food, water, medicines, human contact,enough access to grass and trees and views of the sky.

I have enough clothes, books, music, paper and pens. I have enough access to information via the internet. I have enough to amuse, entertain, inform, astonish, challenge, heal, and sustain my soul.

I have a lifetime of experience and wisdom hard won from life lessons. I have enough  memories and enough hopes and visions to keep me moving into the future.

Best of all, I have enough to keep giving away. I am rich, and for all this I am grateful.

2092 Reads

A Gift In The Mail

For the love and the thoughtfulness that shaped my childhood and still cocoons me today, I can never repay my grandfather or my father... I felt the back of my grandfather’s rough fingers caress my jawline today as he used to when he was still alive; when I was but a child… I received a beautifully stamped envelope from the States in the mail. I immediately recognized Edith Piaf on one of the stamps and my father’s scrawl below. Carefully, I used a knife to open the envelope, knowing that my father occasionally sends me valuable treasure through the mail. Inside, I found another envelope. On it, I saw two scripts. The first one bore my father’s explanation: In the 40’s, my great-grandfather bought a desk. He used it in his office at the family restaurant and when he passed away, my grandfather started using the desk. When the family restaurant sold, the desk was moved ... Read Full Story >>

3275 Reads

Romance

I was sitting in a coffee shop sipping on my decaf and simply watching the world go by. My eyes caught sight of a very mature couple. I knew this as their hair was very white and they were slightly hunched over. They stopped and seemed to be looking around, perhaps lost? Who knows? But what made me smile was.....they were holding hands. Was it the many years they were together or was this a fairly new romance. I wondered, as the smile on my face lingered and together they walked away.

2626 Reads
  • Posted by fmesh
  • Mar 27, 2015
  • 2 Comments
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State ID for elderly neighbor

I took my elderly neighbor to get her State ID today and then took her on the errands she needed to do. She has a daughter that lives only 4 miles away, but she doesn't drive due to a car accident. This was our second trip to the DMV/Secretary of State because the first time she didn't have everything she needed.

2418 Reads

Warming up hearts with home made soup

 Made a big pot of homemade soup that filled the house with a wonderful aroma. It was cold here and good day for hot soup.  I have lots left for the coming week and will bring some over to my sweet 80-something next door neighbor tomorrow. Thanks to Waving for sharing the recipe for the split pea with yam soup.


1246 Reads

Kindess ripples in a grocery store line, in Ireland

A year ago while I was living in Dublin, I was in a supermarket waiting in the line to pay for my items after a long and tiresome day at work.

Since the line was long my eyes were wandering everywhere. When I was getting nearer until I noticed an elderly lady around in her late 80's just joined the last line of the another line opposite to where I was standing. Without any thought I went to her and told her that she can take my spot.

First she didn't accept saying that, "Oh! dear. It's a long line. I don't want to trouble you." I said, "No worries mam. It is not a problem for me."  and I just smiled at her. Then she thanked me and I helped her to my spot then joined the line in the very last.

Within few seconds a couple of people standing in the line where I was standing started to offer me their spot and I ended up standing next to that elderly lady. For a moment it felt like that place was filled with kindness. Which was so beautiful to experience.

1213 Reads

Elderly's kind service to their community

A story on receiving kindness.  I used to pass through on a daily basis  a busy four lane highway and intersection in Adajan, Surat India. There aren't ever traffic police to be seen controlling vehicles movement on  this critical four lane crossroads even during peak rush hours.

I always got stuck in traffic getting angry at our Surat police. Sometimes I fumed at other peoples' insensitivity of hurriedly thinking of themselves first instead of kindly letting others pass though. Many times I too thought to get out the car and direct the traffic. But it was not possible. 

Few months back a group of elderly people who used to sit and socialize in the 'Shantikunj' garden took this initiative to direct the traffic on peak hours daily. They were doing it without any expectations and just to help society.

I was really happy to see the non-chaotic lanes. I salute those elderly people and thank them too. There is kindness in our society. We all have kindness somewhere deep in our hearts. We need to bring it out and spread kindness in the society.

1443 Reads
  • Posted by prathama
  • Dec 23, 2015
  • 7 Comments
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'Adopting' the Elderly Over the Holidays

Oh, I sincerely hope I am not repeating myself! If I am, please forgive me. But I share this in case any one would like to do it next year---and I truly recommend making the effort. Before Christmas I found a charity that was looking for workers to check on the elderly. I am not looking for a job, so I wrote instead and asked if I could send gifts to 15 or so people of their choosing, and a host of Christmas cards to more elderly shut-ins. I said I'd send the gifts to them so they could vet it, along with wrapping paper and ribbons, to please wrap up once they saw the gift was nice and A-ok. Thankfully they agreed. The same with the cards, I left them unsealed so they could read the message and be certain it was all on the up and up. Really getting into ... Read Full Story >>

1182 Reads

Strawberry sweetness on a cold winter day

We had to run out to buy more food for the feral cats who frequent our "restaurant"..we are in the midst of a cold snap with increasing bitter temperatures & high winds & they need to eat more frequently to stay warm.

The Universe was so kind, we were able to get a break on the cost per bag...a $3 savings per bag! Awesome.

We used some of the savings to buy a basket of strawberries for our 90 year old friend who had shared with me yesterday that she loved strawberries but couldn't see spending $7 a basket (the off-season price we are being charged here now).

Knowing she'd insist on paying us (she's very proud), we dropped them off with her son (she lives w/him) , told him we didn't want any payment & to tell her he paid us for them. Lol. When she called us later to thank us & asked us how much they cost, I told a "white lie" & said $3. She said she was going to give her son the money he laid out....I was chuckling as we said our good-byes 🍓

1264 Reads

My gift to an old friend


Tonight I am going to finally start on a project I have been procrastinating on for a while. A few years back, I lived in Japan for two years. I made a lot of friends there, including a sweet old man who worked in the office I did paperwork in on Friday afternoons. He really welcomed me into the community. His hobby was drawing and painting, and he was very talented at it.
I bought this book which is filled with suggestions of interesting things to draw (followed by the appropriate space to draw them) but they are in English, and he can't read them, so I am going to translate the whole book into Japanese. I hope he likes it and still has fond memories of me. It has been too long since last communicating with him. 
 

798 Reads

The Elderly Can Be Proud But Lonely

My niece is in her first year teaching in Liverpool. She lives in a block of flats and was telling us about a 94 year old woman who lives in the flats. This frail lady is called Valerie and Linsey got to know her. Linsey and her flatmate called to see Valerie and Valerie had even made them dinner. The sad thing though is perhaps the loneliness of Valerie. My niece has said Valerie sends her letters and cards even though they live in the same building. Makes you think doesn't it? We really need to tune in more to the elderly who need social interaction above and beyond sending mail to those who live in the same building as them. It made me think of Charlotte, I've mentioned her before in posts. Last time I met Charlotte I dropped her off at her supported living facility. She brought me in ... Read Full Story >>

3195 Reads

An Elderly Woman's Cry Led To This Beautiful Act Of Kindness And Connection

As I was walking around Residential care this afternoon, I heard a lot of yelling and crying coming from one of the rooms. I had actually tried to connect with this little lady a few weeks ago but she can't speak English and has dementia. A caregiver was in with her and speaking but the lady wasn't responding. I took the lady into the bathroom and she was crying and looking in the mirror. To calm her down I started to brush her hair, it was soaking. The caregiver left and I grabbed a small towel and dried her hair as well as gently rubbing her head. She just kept crying and was terribly upset. So I wrapped my arms around her, rubbed her back and hugged her. At the same time, I was talking very quietly to her and rocking her. She sobbed in my arms. When she calmed down I sat ... Read Full Story >>

4675 Reads

Reason To Live

Last few days, I was wondering whether my life made much sense - being rejected by many people for getting over-serious about people politics, unable to handle the situations with my simplicity and honesty, I struggled and suffered in communities even under best leaders. This time the hurt was deep and I felt depressed to the core. Today, after 10 days, for the first time, I went out, alone, to meet this motherly lady who I had met during my stay in a  program. She had been unwell recently and lived alone. Her sons live in foreign countries and her daughter is no more. After I called her and told about my plan to visit her, she started becoming excited and planning food immediately. Nowadays, she has a lady cook coming by to help her but she did part of the work herself with her  bandaged leg. Despite everything, the interest and ... Read Full Story >>

1184 Reads