Have you ever thought about getting older? How will your life look and who will you be when you grow old? For people who have given everything they possibly could to their jobs and families, old age is time when they are alone, and, sadly, very lonely. After spending entire life caring for others and doing everything to help your friends and family, old people are often on their own, but this time they don’t have strength to build something for themselves. What can you do to repay them for everything they have done?
Volunteer
If you are looking for a way to give back to those who have given everything they could already, one of the easiest ways is to volunteer at retirement homes. This way, you will be able to get to know older people, help them adjust to new environment, make their days better and happier simply by being there for them, perhaps you could even ease the anxiety that some have. In addition, being an outsider in places like these gives you an opportunity to see beyond what people usually see. You will be able to see if there are any irregularities and notice if a person is particularly unhappy or depressed. You never know what you can notice and if you could help improve someone’s life. By learning how to provide first aid, you can actually save someone’s life, not only improve it. This is also one of the voluntary things that can contribute to leading a quality life.
Talk to Them
Older people tend to be depressed because they find it difficult to face restrictions they now have. They cannot believe that they cannot run anymore or lift a box without risk of hurting themselves. Moreover, a lot of people their age are either sick or have perhaps even passed away, and they feel forgotten and neglected. You can help, even though you don’t have a doctor’s degree. Simply by taking some time to talk to them you will give them a lot, they will see that there is somebody who cares about them. After all, you never know what stories you could hear: great loves, heartbreaks, risks, and losses, all of them have had long lives full of untold stories just waiting to be shared with somebody.
Be Present
Sometimes, you don’t have to be near retirement home in order to help. Some elderly choose not to go there but spend time in their home, struggling to live as they did before. By stopping by and asking if they needed anything you will do a lot. Sometimes they cannot afford to go to the pharmacy or they have difficulty moving things around their home, so your presence will be helpful. You can go to store for them and buy what they need, or you can take them to the bank or post office so they don’t have to call a taxi. It happens that they struggle with money as well, so any service you offer to do for free for them, driving them somewhere, fixing something in their home, or painting their walls; it will mean a lot.
It doesn’t have to be your parents and friends alone, you never know who is helpless today and what they have done in their lifetime. They could be war veterans, old scientists and teachers who have influenced and changed lives of so many people during their lifetime.
Photo by Frantzou Fleurine
Emma Lawson
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