Karen’s Korner
As we face a New Year, it is always good to look forward. Sometimes when we look back, we have a tendency to re-live memories, experiences, and possibly some not-so-pleasant circumstances. But when we look forward, we have a sense of adventure and hope on the coming horizon! Remember we need to live in an “attitude of gratitude.”
Seniors and the elderly deal with a unique set of challenges, past, present and future. The most important issues for older adults have to do with health, finances, emotional needs, and abuse, and there are always daily challenges, especially when it deals with physical limitations!
Or, it could be dealing with communication problems because they cannot keep up with the way things are technologically set up. For example, most young people do not really answer their phones anymore, they text and use different platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and Tic Tok to communicate. Many seniors do not use these communication features.
As a senior, I would much rather pick up my phone and actually hear a voice at the other end, because another of those unique challenges deals with emotional needs. Communication goes a long way to help with emotional needs. Staying in contact with our seniors really improves the loneliness they also face from day to day, especially if they are physically limited and are pretty much at home much of the time.
We need to be aware of the simple things that can help our seniors thrive and be more independent. A phone call, a card in the mail, a drop-in visit, an invitation for a meal, a trip to the store with them, or for them, are just basic ideas.
I hope that we can all be mindful of our senior’s needs in this New Year of 2025. You can truly make a difference if you choose to do so. Let us know how we can help at the Council on Aging. (318-371-3056)