Gustave Keach-Longo
President/CEO, The Towers
As we look forward to the New Year about to begin, we are organizing our new strategic planning process with the kick-off scheduled for late September and continuing through mid-spring. We will conduct interviews and host focus groups. To participate, email Nicole Merritt (nicole@ towerone.org). We want to hear from every community member who has ideas as we plan our future.
Recently, we changed our method for assessing the well-being of our seniors. We realized that many of our residents haven’t had to make new friends in many years as they spent much of their time focused on their families. Then, years later, they move in with us at The Towers. Their children are busy with their own lives and often live in other states. Many of our elders now need to gain the skills and self-confidence to participate in activities here. They often fear rejection, so, they hold back and become isolated in their new home. Our staff understands how important it is that each of us knows we have people who care about us. Without these connections, feelings of isolation and loneliness build, but we, as a community, can reverse this. Together, we can help our seniors feel more connected and less alone.
We’re looking to create a team of helpers who can provide just an hour or two to make a difference in the lives of our seniors. We need helpers to facilitate simple interactions with our residents. Volunteers can lead activities, watch TV with our seniors, go for walks, or even just listen to our residents share their stories. Our goal is to help our seniors make connections and foster their sense of contributing beyond themselves. This creates opportunities for them to make new friends and become more involved. We need our wider community to help. This problem can’t be fixed by buying some new device or creating a new program. This is all about our own human need, no matter our age, to connect with others. Do you have just a few hours to volunteer? Please consider contacting us! L’ Shana Tovah!
