LCS Blog 1,
The Gary & Mary West Senior Wellness Center was not what I had expected of a senior center. My grandparents live in a senior apartment with a senior center on its adjacent. When asking about my grandparents' days, they always replied with, “Hanging around the center, the usual.” I didn’t really know what they meant. The center was a concept in my head where the seniors spend their days socializing, having meals together, and taking classes. Going on this field trip made me become a part of their lives. It showed me first hand what my grandparents experience everyday in their small world of senior center in Little Tokyo.
During my grandfather’s funeral, this older gentleman came and told us about how he met my grandfather in the senior center that they both attended. It seemed like they were good friends. The older gentleman made a speech in honor of my grandfather’s passing about the good times they had together, how they would be there for each other, and checking up on each other when they didn’t hear from each other from time to time. I am glad my grandfather was able to be in an environment with people that encouraged him to be social and have support outside of family. Visiting the Gary & Mary West Senior Wellness Center made me be inside of his shoes for a second. I am relieved to see that even at this senior center everyone is supportive and able to have social support outside of their families.
Everyone at the center was supportive and lovely. Anna and I received good luck apples from the elderly, although it was because they only eat organic fruits, but I really appreciate the sentiment to receive kindness from the seniors. It was a lovely experience visiting them and it opened my eyes to a form of volunteering for community service that I haven’t considered before. In addition, it made me want to visit my grandmother more as my grandfather has now passed away and this experience encouraged me to visit her more. Foremost, I am grateful for this wonderful experience for the kindness I felt by the seniors in the supportive environment towards each other and towards me.
The Gary & Mary West Senior Wellness Center was not what I had expected of a senior center. My grandparents live in a senior apartment with a senior center on its adjacent. When asking about my grandparents' days, they always replied with, “Hanging around the center, the usual.” I didn’t really know what they meant. The center was a concept in my head where the seniors spend their days socializing, having meals together, and taking classes. Going on this field trip made me become a part of their lives. It showed me first hand what my grandparents experience everyday in their small world of senior center in Little Tokyo.
During my grandfather’s funeral, this older gentleman came and told us about how he met my grandfather in the senior center that they both attended. It seemed like they were good friends. The older gentleman made a speech in honor of my grandfather’s passing about the good times they had together, how they would be there for each other, and checking up on each other when they didn’t hear from each other from time to time. I am glad my grandfather was able to be in an environment with people that encouraged him to be social and have support outside of family. Visiting the Gary & Mary West Senior Wellness Center made me be inside of his shoes for a second. I am relieved to see that even at this senior center everyone is supportive and able to have social support outside of their families.
Everyone at the center was supportive and lovely. Anna and I received good luck apples from the elderly, although it was because they only eat organic fruits, but I really appreciate the sentiment to receive kindness from the seniors. It was a lovely experience visiting them and it opened my eyes to a form of volunteering for community service that I haven’t considered before. In addition, it made me want to visit my grandmother more as my grandfather has now passed away and this experience encouraged me to visit her more. Foremost, I am grateful for this wonderful experience for the kindness I felt by the seniors in the supportive environment towards each other and towards me.