When attending Bayside Community, it was clear that seniors are deeply individual people who cannot be easily lumped together and have a wide range of temperaments, physical ability levels, and involvement with the Bayside Community. We began doing zumba, something that I had participated in once, and decided was not for me. Despite my initial bias against it, I had fun, watching many of the seniors outpace my class with both their technical ability and their energy levels. That was not to say that I did not try; by the halfway point, I was already sweating, despite considering myself in relatively healthy shape! It became painfully obvious that the class was good for the senior citizens, both mentally and physically. They were able to get in some cardiovascular exercise in a fun manner and they were also able to sit out when they were too tired, and chat with the others who were taking a break. This system seemed to work well, since I didn’t notice at any point, only one senior standing out, which probably allows them to feel better about not being as physically capable, because they are not alone.
After the class, I got to speak with Cathy, one of the senior citizens who immigrated to the United States from Argentina. It was interesting listening to her talk about her different groups of friends, especially her “Argentina friends” who did not want to be a part of Bayside Community Center and would rather keep to themselves. That being said, she seemed to have a very active lifestyle, coming to the center frequently for exercising classes, zumba, lunch and knitting sessions, among other events. It was clear that she loved being a part of it, and since she doesn’t live with any family members besides her two cats and dog, she considers Bayside to be her extended family that she can have conversations with. It was also clear though, to see that having a pet, (at least in her case), was highly beneficial. She cited that having a dog makes her feel more safe, since she’s not completely alone and her dog can protect her.
It was also interesting seeing how some seniors were not as open to talking to the students. I tried to speak with one woman who seemed very uninterested and then soon left saying “There, I did my mingling.” Maybe there was a generational gap, or she was in pain that day; from my own background in dealing with people in pain (especially my older family members), they have a shorter level of patience in dealing with other people, especially those who they didn’t already know. Perhaps she already felt exhausted and just wanted to go home and take a shower, which would be completely understandable.
After the class, I got to speak with Cathy, one of the senior citizens who immigrated to the United States from Argentina. It was interesting listening to her talk about her different groups of friends, especially her “Argentina friends” who did not want to be a part of Bayside Community Center and would rather keep to themselves. That being said, she seemed to have a very active lifestyle, coming to the center frequently for exercising classes, zumba, lunch and knitting sessions, among other events. It was clear that she loved being a part of it, and since she doesn’t live with any family members besides her two cats and dog, she considers Bayside to be her extended family that she can have conversations with. It was also clear though, to see that having a pet, (at least in her case), was highly beneficial. She cited that having a dog makes her feel more safe, since she’s not completely alone and her dog can protect her.
It was also interesting seeing how some seniors were not as open to talking to the students. I tried to speak with one woman who seemed very uninterested and then soon left saying “There, I did my mingling.” Maybe there was a generational gap, or she was in pain that day; from my own background in dealing with people in pain (especially my older family members), they have a shorter level of patience in dealing with other people, especially those who they didn’t already know. Perhaps she already felt exhausted and just wanted to go home and take a shower, which would be completely understandable.