Megan, a Morningside Village Steering Committee member waited for the light to cross Broadway. She noticed, on the island in the middle of the wide avenue, two nonagenarians, a man and woman, taking in a bit of sun. She noticed the woman’s want of walking shoes. The leather was nearly torn completely, and the man wore broken glasses although he seemed to be dozing. In her mind, Megan knew that Morningside Village, with its 85 volunteers strong, could help.
But, how do you go over to complete strangers and begin a conversation? Megan had never done it before. But, because our volunteers know so many others in the community, it wasn’t a surprise that she ran into Tim, a seasoned volunteer who could help. Megan explained her plight, and watched Tim in action. They walked over to the bench together.
“Hi, nice day,” he began, talking loudly just in case there was a hearing issue.
The woman looked up with a broad smile, squinting in the sunlight. Her response, with a heavy Asian accent, was not discernable; nevertheless, Tim continued.
“Good idea to get some sun.” When the woman laughed in reply, Tim went on to introduce himself.
“I’m Tim Molloy, and this is Megan Lesser; what’s your name?”
“Hello, hello. I Teddi” was what he heard her say.
“Now, Teddi, you have a lovely day.”
That was all there was to it Tim told Megan. “That’s enough for today. The next time you see them, you can say hello and add a comment or two. Before too long, you may find out where they live, how they get to and from the bench, if there is a language bridge to cross, and if they really need help. And, you can tell them all about Morningside Village. Give them a card. Even if they don’t think they need help now, one day, they may be relieved to have it and to make a call for help. Or, better yet, it’s spring, and they may be outside often. Inch by inch, you may become their friend at any rate. And, that in itself, can often be the beginning to improving the quality of life of a nonagenarian.”
Irene Zola
Tags: aging, eldercare, seniors, village movement, volunteering
