The Rights of the Elderly

CityMeals On Wheels #2

by Benjamin

Our second trip to CityMeals on Wheels was much the same. The only different thing was, we met with different seniors. For example, we met a 101-year-old, blind man. He had just lost his wife, but still had a faint smile and loved telling us a story or two.

by Benjamin

For our first interview, our group did an interview with Yolanda Campbell. After a little trouble with the tech, we started asking her our questions. We loved her, responses. They were deep and very informative. She told us stories that only someone with her experience could have experienced, and she helped us understand the work that she does with seniors.

by Dora

My mother, Liam, Ben and I went to the City Meals on Wheels office for the second time. City Meals on Wheels delivers packages to senior citizens who either can’t get out of their homes or don’t have the money to afford the food. We enjoyed it so much the first time because we felt that we were taking action and helping all the senior citizens in need of food. We started off our journey by taking the subway to the City Meals on Wheels office. Once we entered the building, we went into a conference room. We had met with the woman we knew from the time before, so she told us that we didn’t need an introduction to how delivering the packages works. The organizer gave us a few packages and a list of names, phone numbers, and addresses. We went from address to address delivering Christmas emergency packages which included things such as powdered milk and canned corn. Once we entered their homes, we talked to most of the elders. For example, there was one man who was blind, 101 years old and he had just lost his wife. We talked to him for a couple minutes and he stood there talking about his life and how his wife has recently passed away and how he was miserable alone. It was sad and yet interesting to hear his life story and his thoughts on his life. Most of the elders just took the package and left, and some of them didn’t show up at the door and their caretakers did instead. When we had delivered all packages, we made our way back to school.

by Dora

During this fieldwork, we got to experience an amazing adventure with other elders! We did chair yoga with elders at JASA. We did yoga moves such as reaching your hand up in the air or trying to reach your feet. At the end of the one-hour yoga experience, we talked to the woman who taught the class and it was interesting to see her point of view. She mentioned that the elders are so passionate about this class and that they come very often. We only had a short discussion with her but it was very impactful to see the view of someone who wants to help in our society! Before and after the yoga, Ben, Liam and I had short discussions with elders such as: “Hi, how are you! What is your name?” Some of them talked a lot and told us about their lives, and others just simply sat in their chairs waiting for the lesson to begin.

by Liam Mackenzie

For our fifth fieldwork, Ben and I had an online meeting with Deborah Heiser. Throughout the meeting, Deborah, a clinical psychologist that specializes in aging, helped us understand the process of aging. Deborah started off the meeting by asking us what “old” is. When I answered 65, and ben answered 60, she told us that she thought “old” was 80. She then explained that everyone thinks of “old” as a different age. A three year old might think 45 is old, while a 10 year old might think 13 is old. No Matter what, we all think of aging in a different way. She then went on to explain how growing old really works. She drew a graph, showing the mental state of a senior versus the physical state. The graph started at birth, with the physical and mental state both at zero. Both of these progressed about equally until age 65. At 65 the physical state started to drop, but the mental state still progressed. She explained to us that while society might think of seniors as “weak” or “inferior” beings, their mental state is stronger than ever, and their wisdom is actually profound.

by Liam Mackenzie

For our second City Meals on Wheels volunteering trip, we got to take on new challenges, visit new areas of New York, and meet new seniors. We started our adventure off at the City Meals on Wheels office in midtown. Unlike our first volunteering trip, as soon as we walked through the main office doors, a volunteer coordinator gave us our route sheet and handed us the packages to start our journey. We delivered over 9 packages to seniors in need throughout Midtown. Interestingly enough, all of them were men, ranging from 73 to 100. We met a man born and raised in New York City. Despite the fact that he was a 100 year old blind widow, this man took life by the handle and embraced his extraordinary situation. We then met a 80 year old man living in council housing. After being verbally abused by his landlord, this man decided to fight for his dignity and report the abusive man. We met a 78 year old, unable to get out of his bed, and a 68 year old living on a five floor walkup. Our journey was exciting, exhausting, and informative. After visiting the 9 seniors, Dora, Ben, Thorunn and I traveled home on the subway to get back in school just in time for homeroom.

by Liam Mackenzie

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 NORCE director, and made our way home.

by Benjamin

We interviewed Deborah Heiser about what she does with her job and how she does it.

by Benjamin

Chair Yoga With JASA Name: Benjamin Winokur-Applebaum Social Justice Group: The Rights of the Elderly Date of Fieldwork: December 6, 2017 Name of Organization: JASA Person (people) with whom I met and their job titles: Various elders & chair yoga teacher Type of Fieldwork: Direct Action What I did: I went, with my group and Thorrun (Dora’s…

by Liam Mackenzie

For our second fieldwork our group decided to learn about Palliative care with Yolanda Campbell. After meeting her in Canada, I decided that it would be amazing to do a Skype call with her and our group. Then, after some technology bumps in the road, Yolanda started answering our questions. Her responses were insightful, well thought out, and informative. She told us stories that only someone with her experience could tell, and she helped us understand the under-representation of elders. After calling her and listening to the recording, the hour conversation we had with her was truly amazing. I am 100% certain that our Skype session with her will help us write our future notecards and become more knowledgeable.

by Dora

During this skype call, we talked to a woman named Yolanda, who is a Palliative of Care. She goes to elder’s homes and keeps them company, around 3 times a week. She helped people with dementia and Alzheimer’s and brightens people’s days. We set up questions to ask her and she had very deep and interesting answers. It was really interesting to see her point of view. She said that ever since she was a child, she knew she wanted to help out senior citizens.

by Dora

We went to an organization that delivers free meals to elders who are not able to leave their home and have trouble getting around themselves. We went around the neighborhood and we delivered fall emergency packages which included packaged and canned foods. We went to peoples homes and delivered their meals. Some of the elders talked to us for a long time, or we just handed them the meal. When we went to Anne Kelemen’s home we stayed there for a full hour discussing our lives.

by Liam Mackenzie

Throughout our time at Meals on Wheels we experienced new cultures, learned amazing information about senior citizens, and gave back to the elders that have made our amazing city. We started off our day with a brief seminar on how to deliver packages to the elders signed up for Meals on Wheels, while also being shown the food and purpose of the deliveries. We were not simply given five packages of food and left to roam the streets of New York City alone, but given an in depth and informative speech and lesson by one of the volunteer coordinators. After leaving the Meals on Wheels main office, we started walking to our first seniors’ building. After knocking on the door and delivering our package, Anne, our first senior citizen, invited us in for company and tea. We talked to her about her young life and her current agility and strength. After visiting four more elders within a 10 block radius of the Meals on Wheels main office, we found that certain elders seemed ashamed of their age, others needed company and comfort, and some simply wanted to take their food without small talk and banter. No matter the circumstance, the elders were happy Meals on Wheels provided for them, and wished us the best of luck on our Social Justice project.

by Benjamin

My group (Dora, Liam and I) went with Dora’s parents (as our chaperones), to deliver food to seniors who are unable to go out and buy food for themselves. We delivered one of the twelve emergency packages that they deliver each month. This emergency package is filled with “shelf life food”. We delivered four of the five given to us, and since the other one didn’t have anywhere to go, we brought it back to school.