| | An Ode To Spring And Seniors
 by Shelley Poliner
s the snow swirls in dizzying patterns, on this second day of spring, I experience cabin fever as well as gratitude for the community, which gets me through these long, gray Michigan winters. In December, the snow was piling up, but it didn't seem so bad because Tim and Paul, from across the street, were out shoveling too. We kept each other company while we "dug each other out" of the drifting snow. Since then, the snow hasn't been too bad, but the gray skies, frigid temperatures, and rampant cold and flu outbreaks made for an artificially lonely existence. Does this conjure up a case of the winter blues? Now, imagine you're a disabled elderly person. Imagine how excited a disabled senior would be to escape all that and join the rest of us for the joys of the new spring season. If only they had someone to give them that little helping hand they need to take part again.
As a home care therapist, I saw many patients who were fragilely independent. They had been living alone, some doing well, others just getting by until they got weakened by illness, fell and broke a hip, or had a stroke. Suddenly, these feisty folks were homebound; unable to get out because of physical afflictions, energy constraints, slippery walking/driving conditions or extreme weather. Many were vulnerable to depression. With some support systems to help with house maintenance, shopping, meal preparation, transportation, and emotional/moral support, many of these patients were able to remain living in their own homes. They would love to build on that independence by enjoying some fresh air and watching the flowers bloom outside the walls of their favorite rooms. If only they had someone to give them that little helping hand they need to take part again.
As spring unfolds, and familiar and new faces reappear in your neighborhood without their shovels and shivers, make an effort to get to know them better. Celebrating life's renewal with an elderly neighbor at a time when everything in nature is rebounding, is a great way to forget the winter blues and to enrich both of your lives.
Contact Shelley Poliner via email at SMLPoliner@aol.com | |
