By: Brenda Delgado
Life Course Scholar
This week, my peers and I visited the Gary and Mary West Senior Wellness Center in downtown San Diego and I feel grateful that we all had the opportunity to serve them. This wellness center serves seniors over the age of 65 who are low-income and thus struggle to afford basic necessities that I think many of us tend to take for granted. This center meets the needs of these seniors by providing them with a one-stop residence model for treatment and care, such as a social services as well as a dentist and health care clinic. When we first arrived at the center we were given a tour around the residence and we were introduced to the seniors that we were serving lunch to. As we were serving their lunch, I could not help but to think how privileged I was to walk and maneuver so easily around the tables, while a few seniors were struggling to get out of their chairs. I have an immense soft spot for elders, but my heart felt especially heavy because I was in the presence of many of them. I deeply wanted to know each of their lives and listen to them talk about any struggles they have endured as a result from being low-income as well as being part of a population that seems to be frequently overlooked. At the same time, it made me happy that I could be there to help, even if it was for a short period of time. One senior seemed to be very interested in what I studied at UCSD. When I told her what my major was, she started talking to me about her daughter who majored in neuropsychology from SDSU and moved to New York to pursue her career. After telling me this story she started giving me words of encouragement to work hard to obtain my dreams. Her words sincerely humbled me and touched my heart. All in all, being at the Gary and Mary West Wellness Center was a humbling experience and I am more excited to see how my Healthy Aging project will turn out!
Life Course Scholar
This week, my peers and I visited the Gary and Mary West Senior Wellness Center in downtown San Diego and I feel grateful that we all had the opportunity to serve them. This wellness center serves seniors over the age of 65 who are low-income and thus struggle to afford basic necessities that I think many of us tend to take for granted. This center meets the needs of these seniors by providing them with a one-stop residence model for treatment and care, such as a social services as well as a dentist and health care clinic. When we first arrived at the center we were given a tour around the residence and we were introduced to the seniors that we were serving lunch to. As we were serving their lunch, I could not help but to think how privileged I was to walk and maneuver so easily around the tables, while a few seniors were struggling to get out of their chairs. I have an immense soft spot for elders, but my heart felt especially heavy because I was in the presence of many of them. I deeply wanted to know each of their lives and listen to them talk about any struggles they have endured as a result from being low-income as well as being part of a population that seems to be frequently overlooked. At the same time, it made me happy that I could be there to help, even if it was for a short period of time. One senior seemed to be very interested in what I studied at UCSD. When I told her what my major was, she started talking to me about her daughter who majored in neuropsychology from SDSU and moved to New York to pursue her career. After telling me this story she started giving me words of encouragement to work hard to obtain my dreams. Her words sincerely humbled me and touched my heart. All in all, being at the Gary and Mary West Wellness Center was a humbling experience and I am more excited to see how my Healthy Aging project will turn out!