Name: Liam Mackenzie
Social Justice Group: The Rights of the Elderly
Date of Fieldwork: December 6, 2017
Name of Organization: JASA (Jewish Association For Services-Aged)
Person (people) with whom I met and their job titles: Lana Mittleman (Volunteer Coordinator) and Nancy Spannbauer (NORC Director)
Type of Fieldwork: Tour of Organization
What I did:
Throughout our time at JASA we learned from the seniors, conversed with the coordinators/directors, and even got a little exercise for ourselves. We started our trip out in JASA’s main office at 290 9th Avenue. After stumbling into a needle bank outside the main office, we were slightly worried. But once we entered into JASA’s lovely community building, we were immediately eased. We then proceeded to start the class. The instructor took the time and had the patience to help, wait, and guide the elders to complete their given yoga assignments. After completing the hour class, we had only a little time to speak with the elders. They rushed off and we thanked Nancy, the NORC director, and made our way home.
What I learned:
One of the most interesting things we learned at JASA’s Chair Yoga class was that many of the seniors could not perform simple tasks, such as lifting their hands above their heads. These people had been taking this class for months, if not years, and I had never even done yoga before. And yet, I was able to easily do all of the movements the instructor called out, while most of the seniors struggled. It really showed me the restrictions the elderly community face on a daily basis. I learned that our topic is not just about trying to eradicate the giant struggles seniors face, but the everyday problems that form as a barrier, stopping the elderly from performing certain tasks. I can say with 100% confidence that this Chair Yoga class taught me much more than I could learn in an interview or an article. I was able to experience the restrictions seniors constantly face.
What I learned about Social Justice “work” and/or Civil and Human rights “work” from this fieldwork:
After finishing the class, most of the seniors rushed past us, racing towards the door. At first I had no idea why they didn’t stay and talk with us. But after thinking about it, I realized that the seniors might have been embarrassed. They had no reason to be, but I concluded that seeing someone of our age, able to perform all the yoga moves without struggle could act as a kind of taunt. It all made sense after thinking about it in this way. This problem is not one that is just concentrated to the yoga room. This is a wide-spread global issue that most seniors face. Being ashamed of your body and being self deprecating can cause depression, unhealthy behavior, and fatigue. That is why taking action, and fighting to stop self deprecation should be a stronger priority. Chair Yoga taught me about fighting to eradicate the prevalent issues current seniors face.
