Ending my last quarter at UCSD was in no way what I expected; I did not think that it would be spent virtually. Although so much has changed in our world, my drive to educate myself and help underserved populations remain. Due to new circumstances, our class was unable to attend and host volunteer events that we had planned. Our paradigm had to shift. This quarter, our cohort focused mainly on discussing a book that celebrates the process of aging, learning about WHO’s checklist for age friendly cities, how to dismantle common misperceptions on aging, and working on our health aging project (HAP). This course has also granted me the opportunity to learn more about healthy aging and addressing the stigma against the older population. Through our book discussion of “Happiness is a Choice You Make”, we learned personal stories of older adults and how they live their life, how they choose happiness, how they overcome hardship, etc. Within my HAP, Phone Pals, I was able to have tri-weekly phone calls with 3 elders from senior homes in San Diego for 4 weeks and will continue these conversations over the summer. I completed a project of ageism in cinema and call an action to support more films about stories of aging adults. Aging comes in different forms across different ethnicities, cultures, and health statuses. Understanding that this process is different for all, it brings us one step closer to reducing the gap of misconceptions between our communities.
I decided to do my age friendly neighborhood assessment (NAP) on La Puente, the city in LA county that I am home to. The average age in La Puente is 32.8 years old. Senior citizen residents make up roughly 9% of the population, making them a minority in the city [3]. According to the United States Census, the primary racial group is Latino (84.7%) as Asians make up the second largest racial group at 10% [2].Though the average household in La Puente does not make much less than the state average in terms of income, the quality of living is noticeably different. The surrounding industrial buildings produce noise and air pollution that have an effect on the residents’ health. Also, La Puente could be categorized as a food swamp, meaning that the junk food, liquor store, and unhealthy food options outnumber the healthy food options available.Within La Puente borders, there are only two green outdoor spaces: La Puente City Park and Puente Creek Nature Educational Center. These do not account for the various green, public spaces in surrounding cities; however, those do not belong to the La Puente city community. Though these green spaces are relatively well-kept, and the physical barriers of access are minimal, a major factor that may repel senior citizens from them is the amount of gang activity and violence that exists in the city. As Josh Haskell reports in the article, “La Puente fireworks show sees less attendees after recent shootings”, an upsurge of gang violence in the city deters people from public spaces where the threat of violence exists. Despite all other criteria being soundly met, i.e. availability of seating, condition of pavements, adequate restrooms, and buildings being properly handicap accessible, the threat of gang violence prevents these public places from being enjoyed by the elderly in the area.
To better make open spaces more age-friendly for its residents, La Puente must increase their efforts in decreasing the gang violence and presence in the city. In doing so, the large barrier of danger would be removed and older citizens, as well as the general public, would feel encouraged to enjoy the open spaces. One of the city’s greatest weaknesses is in social participation. To improve on this at the same time address isolation and loneliness of older adults, La Puente can expand on intergenerational social opportunities by collaborating with education institutions (i.e. schools and universities) to create some sort of mentorship program. La Puente could also expand on community activities and volunteering opportunities where older adults may not only interact with each other, but with younger generations as well. Intergenerational social opportunities would also allow for younger groups to better appreciate the elders in their community. We are interactive human beings- this need is filled through various forms of relationships we build with others throughout our lifetime. However, our need and desire to interact with others cannot always be fulfilled when there are barriers present. Within our course, we have learned how the impact of loneliness and social isolation effects the individual- it can take a toll on one’s mental health, physical health, and well-being. However, age transcends this dilemma, as elders may not have frequent visits from relatives, may move to retirement homes with reduced exposure to others, and are unable to have access to transportation to attend social settings. Thus, loneliness is an issue that elders suffer continuously. In recent light of our world, the COVID-19 pandemic has added an additional layer of burden for not only our elders, but people of all ages. By having to follow safe distancing, self-quarantine, and staying indoors, many are suffering from social isolation and loss of interaction with loved ones. In order to acknowledge these gaps, a group from our cohort decided to develop a program titled, ‘Phone Pals’ in which a college student is paired with an elder from San Diego for triweekly phone call meetings. We felt that by implementing such a program, we are filling the need of human interaction and love for one another that is needed in today’s climate.
I volunteered to be the main point of contact for Serving Seniors- nearly 10 students are now volunteers with this center. Due to the high demand of volunteers, I was paired with 3 elders- Ramona, Carolyn, and Barbara. What was meant to be a short 7-minute phone call, each one of my phone calls last over thirty minutes because so much time is spent learning about one another. Each one of my phone pals are unique, although they had a similar upbringing (grew up in the south, studied in college, and have families) their characters cannot be anymore different. I am appreciative of all the stories I have been able to learn from them and their personal lives. Secondly, these women have been so grateful for the work that we are doing and the tri-weekly phone calls. For them, it is a prime mode of communication, and during these demanding times, it is comforting to simply talk and listen to another. My relationship with each one of my elder partners has flourished within a short time- Barbara has actually sent me a book she had about a woman in medical school, as she knows that becoming a doctor is my dream. Carolyn, a woman who is actively engaged with volunteering and serving food at Serving Seniors, sends me weekly yoga poses to practice with my mother, as she is a part of a virtual yoga club that aims to keep elders active and united during the pandemic. Ramona, who I feel resembles my personality the most, and I have conversations over the importance of being grateful for the little things in life. Her biggest role model is her 8-year-old grandson, because as she states, “when we are children life is blissful and full of adventure. We should all spend our lives with the same attitude as we did when we were kids.” Along with our ability to get this program running, we have also been able to get our program and the Life Course Scholars Program some press. Last month, I was interviewed by KBPS to talk about who our volunteers, the mission behind ‘Phone Pals,’ and our collaboration with Serving Seniors. This article has been published and on a segment of the radio (I believe). On a personal level, I found this HAP so amazing- the phone calls I have with each elder have been so rewarding and priceless. Although our HAP is coming to a close, I still plan to work with Serving Seniors virtually and continue these phone calls with my elders. One thing I would recommend is planning logistics. When we were planning our HAP, we were beginning to learn the concerns of COVID-19. Toward the end of our winter quarter, we had to essentially change how our HAP was going to be like (alter the form of communication) and solidify who our partners will be. We had a lack of people power to do the work to plan and coordinate our project. Further, we had more complications with our partners- the loss of their sign-up sheet delayed the start date of our project with them by 2 weeks. Nevertheless, I do not think that any one of us could have foreseen any of these mishaps. Despite all of these obstacles, I believe that we were still quite successful with our HAP. For our “Debunking Ageist Myths” project, I decided to center my project on stereotypes concerning older adults in the movie industry. Inaccurate depictions of older adults are constantly shown in films, tv shows, and commercials. Stereotypes range from two extremes- from “that grumpy old man” to “sweet old lady”- there is hardly room for anything in between. However, negative portrayals of an older adult’s personality are not the only misconceptions. The movie industry is an ageist industry- actors and actresses do anything in their power to stay young because major roles are predominately for youth actors. Older characters in films are one-dimensional, secondary, and stagnant in personality. The story of an aging adult is hardly told and are often forgotten in cinema. Like any industry, the audience popularizes trends and as a result, shifts the way media portrays the world. If we, as an individual, were to be more accepting of the aging process and see older adults as ‘us’ rather than ‘them’, intergenerational relationships will commence. If we, as a consumer, were to be angered about how ageist films portray characters, then there will be a demand of how media and pop culture depict this population of people. The power of change begins with the individual.
For this assignment, I interviewed my grandmother, Rosario who I am very close to and visit on a weekly basis. Because of COVID-19 restrictions (and in order to reduce my grandma from getting sick) we have been communicating via daily phone calls. During one of these phone calls, I asked my grandma what other difficult life events she had to endure and how she overcame them. In her response, she mentioned having to raise my uncle with cerebral palsy from a distance. In Rosario’s opinion, the role of a mother is to directly care for her child and be present during all important milestones. However, due to the fact that my uncle had needs that my family cannot provide, she had to turn to government care. It was difficult for my grandma to do this because she had to place the wellbeing of my uncle over her own desires.
In some manner, this idea is relevant to today’s pandemic- due to social distancing, we are forced to sacrifice our desires to go out to the beach, spend time with friends, travel, etc. because if we do not, we are increasing the risk of illness to ourselves and others in our communities. Sometimes the right decision requires sacrifice, and although it may be difficult to comprehend at the moment, realizing the importance of making the rational choice is worthwhile. While listening to the presentations of my classmates, I learned that all of our elder partner’s had different stories, yet shared themes of being resilient and to persevere through difficult moments. Common sufferings revolved around turning to care to others and reflecting on moving forward. As written in our book, “Happiness is a Choice You Make” the author states, “A recognition that life doesn’t have to be all good to be good, and also that it will never be.” Right now, we are living in an historical moment that has affected nearly every life on the planet in some form. The COVID-19 pandemic has not only affected the health and well-being of its victims, but also has affected social interactions, learning, and placed economic hardship on countless households and individuals. Although my family is managing to stay afloat, I cannot help but wonder how the lives of different populations have been affected as well.
The most difficult part of virtual classes is the fact that I will be unable to work in this field with my classmates. We had planned some exciting events, but unfortunately nearly all of these were cancelled. I have learned that this pandemic is also a test to see how people can alter their way of social interaction with the new constraints of distancing. With these new constraints in effect, I cannot help but wonder how our elder partners are placed in a grave state of susceptibility of disease as well as loneliness during these excruciating times. To minimize the effect of loneliness and social isolation for our elder partners during this pandemic, our healthy aging project (HAP) has shifted to a “Phone Pal” platform, in which students are partnered with an elder partner to interact with 2 times a week. We feel by doing so, students and our partners will be able to have someone to support each other during these trying moments. Right now, we have partnered with Talmadge and Serving Seniors and are figuring out the logistics of this project. I am looking forward to seeing this project through and hope that this can impact the lives of our participants. When I applied for this program, I came with the intention to learn and work for a population in our community that is often underserved and forgotten on a day to day basis. But as this quarter comes to a close, I have realized that I’ve been exposed to so much more. Through our trips to senior centers, I was able to speak with individuals and learn about their life experiences. I was able to see first-hand what it takes to have a center function (the funding, staff, volunteers, etc). Having the opportunity to interact with people that are not from my age group allowed me to break from my shell and also learn from their experiences. It granted me the opportunity to detach from common misconceptions about elders and humanize the agist issue.
This course has also granted me the opportunity to learn more about healthy aging and addressing the stigma against the older population. Through our book discussions, common issues regarding the media, the medicalization of aging, SES, and culture played a role on how aging was perceived. It was refreshing to have a platform to discuss the what issues are commonly faced with this community and discuss what we can do as individuals to reduce ageism. I appreciated the Oral History Project the most. I had come to realize that this project allowed us all to learn more about our families/friends and also about diverse life experiences. I feel that it is important to do this because aging does not look the same to every person. Aging comes in different forms across different ethnicities, cultures, and health statuses. Understanding that this process is different for all, it brings us one step closer to reducing the gap of misconceptions between our communities. We are at the home stretch of the quarter and the course load is building up for me! Hopefully I can make it through the end of the quarter with all the things on my plate! This week I decided I wanted to do my HAP in conjunction with Meena, Esthel, Rachel, and Susie. Our HAP (Healthy Aging Project) will be called Project Snail Mail: Intergenerational Pen Pals.
After doing some research, I learned that nearly 29% of the senior population (65 years and older) live alone. Adults who live alone are more prone to experience social isolation and loneliness because barriers of transportation and lack of resources are scarcely available for individuals to leave their homes. As a result, lack of social interaction negatively affects one’s wellbeing and life trajectory. Our Healthy Aging Project is centered toward reducing the issues regarding social isolation among older adults who reside in senior centers in San Diego County. Snail Mail is centered toward creating an intergenerational pen pal in which a young and older adult will be able to exchange conversation with one another over the course of 7-8 weeks and will be followed by a “pen pal reveal” at the end of the Spring Quarter. While working on the proposal, I felt that this project is needed for our community. Not only does this project focus in on reducing social isolation among older adults, but it also promotes unity across generations and dismantles stigmas of intergenerational communication. I am excited to be beginning this project with my classmates and I look forward to the work we will be doing! This Saturday we hosted the Senior Prom that we have been planning for two months now. There was so much commotion in setting up because we were given a short amount of time to put everything together for the folks. I was in charge of putting the photobooth together and get the stations of activities (photo props, candy jar making, coloring station and tattoo making). We finished right in time and I felt that the event was a success! I was grateful that the Salsa Club was able to perform and get others to participate as well. It was refreshing to have students and older adults learn salsa together in a comfortable environment. During the hour of the prom, I was going to the audience and asking others to participate in the activities and photo booth. Some were more willing than others, but all in all, I was able to connect with many and everyone was grateful for the work that we did.
I do hope that next time the event could be a little bit longer. I feel that it was rushed to fit in a senior king and queen announcement, eat, do activities, dance, all while trying to connect and have fun with others. I wished I was able to rotate with another student so I can mingle and participate in the dancing for some portion of the event. All in all, I feel that the people who attended were grateful for the free food, gifts, and lottery prizes that were being passed out. What amazed me most about our visit to the Jewish Family Services of San Diego was the devotion for lending a helping hand to the community. During our tour, I learned so much about the countless programs of services they provide- they range anywhere from family services, free meals, to safe parking at night. I felt that this was quite unique in comparison to other facilities/programs that focus on helping a particular population of people.
While touring the buildings of JFS, we stopped by the mini market that is open for prequalified individuals and families. I have personally worked at food pantries for churches and nonprofit programs in Los Angeles, but none compare to the ambience and feeling of regaining a sense of confidence at JFS. Often times, people and families may feel embarrassed having to go to a food bank to receive free food- it is as if it is shameful for needing such help. When I worked in different food pantries, many of the clients would keep their heads down and no further interaction would take place. Here at JFS, the atmosphere at the market is bright and welcoming which allows one to regain their sense of self and reduce any thoughts of shame they may have. Moreover, JFS not only provides free food, but clients who come are given further assistance- the workers try to figure out how else individuals can be helped and what could be done to bring them back to their feet. After our tour, we spent some time with a class of older adults and played BINGO with nursery rhymes. The individuals I sat with were so well versed in these childhood nursery rhymes; I did not even know half of them! The woman to my right was appreciative of the help I gave her when trying to pinpoint a word to a picture on her BINGO card. She was also so happy for me when I won BINGO (as a prize I got a super cool 1-million-dollar bill). All in all, I genuinely enjoyed my experience at JFS and I hope that after I graduate, I can come back to help as a volunteer. |
Elizza Elaine VillarruelArchives
June 2020
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