On Wednesday, we went to visit the Gary and Mary West Senior Wellness Center. Upon arrival we had a tour of the West Center and learned about the services they offered. The first things I recall seeing was an exercise class where seniors were doing light exercises, seeing many seniors enter the building, and many sitting in the lobby watching TV where they perhaps were waiting for lunch service. Some of the services that the Center offered was breakfast, lunch, dental service, psychological service, a game room, and a computer room.
After the tour we went to the room where they held lunch service to talk to some of the seniors who were sipping their coffee and water waiting for lunch service to begin. We all split up and dispersed to different tables. The person I ended up talking to was a man named Richard who was sitting in the corner of the room by himself. I approached him and we started having a conversation. I learned that he started coming here recently about a couple of months ago when a friend of his told him about this place. He told me about he's currently homeless and is trying to get into housing. I also learned that he suffers from osteoporosis and said eventually he may reach a point where he would need to get knee replacement surgery. I told him how I was sorry to hear that but he chuckled in response and told me it's part of getting old. It's admirable to see how he still pushes through despite what is yet to come. I genuinely wish him the best of luck.
We closed off the site visit by helping to serve lunch. We put on aprons and gloves and carried the lunch trays to the seniors. I'm glad that the Center offers breakfast and lunch service because it helps many seniors not worry about at least two of their meals. It was heartbreaking to hear about how prior to opening the lobby at 6:30am so seniors can wait inside for the 7am breakfast service, seniors used to have to line up around the block while they waited. Can you imagine waiting in the cold and having to stand for a period of time as a senior who may have limited mobility problems? It had to be rough but they did this because they were afraid of not receiving a meal if they got there later. I hope the services at the Center expand in the future and more resources would be available to help the seniors in need.
After the tour we went to the room where they held lunch service to talk to some of the seniors who were sipping their coffee and water waiting for lunch service to begin. We all split up and dispersed to different tables. The person I ended up talking to was a man named Richard who was sitting in the corner of the room by himself. I approached him and we started having a conversation. I learned that he started coming here recently about a couple of months ago when a friend of his told him about this place. He told me about he's currently homeless and is trying to get into housing. I also learned that he suffers from osteoporosis and said eventually he may reach a point where he would need to get knee replacement surgery. I told him how I was sorry to hear that but he chuckled in response and told me it's part of getting old. It's admirable to see how he still pushes through despite what is yet to come. I genuinely wish him the best of luck.
We closed off the site visit by helping to serve lunch. We put on aprons and gloves and carried the lunch trays to the seniors. I'm glad that the Center offers breakfast and lunch service because it helps many seniors not worry about at least two of their meals. It was heartbreaking to hear about how prior to opening the lobby at 6:30am so seniors can wait inside for the 7am breakfast service, seniors used to have to line up around the block while they waited. Can you imagine waiting in the cold and having to stand for a period of time as a senior who may have limited mobility problems? It had to be rough but they did this because they were afraid of not receiving a meal if they got there later. I hope the services at the Center expand in the future and more resources would be available to help the seniors in need.