The event
Following the Volunteering orientation/awareness session- in October, the employees of Appejay Surendra group took the second step forward in order to take up hands on experience by volunteering at an Elderly Welfare Home on the 18th of November 2008 at FINS (Friend in Need of Society, supported by Help Age India)
With around 33 young employees and 45 elderly inmates, the day called in for some special celebrations. The elders were truly looking forward to some company and were quiet excited to know that their visitors are going to be youngsters.
The activities needed to be simple and fun; it also needed to cheer up the elders because only the previous day there had been a demise at the home. So we started off with a simple game - passing the ball right after the cultural performances. The energy and excitement of the elders was TOO MUCH:) and left the youngsters asking for more. Some dancing where the young and the elderly ‘jived’ to some old country music followed this game of fun and frolic.
With around 33 young employees and 45 elderly inmates, the day called in for some special celebrations. The elders were truly looking forward to some company and were quiet excited to know that their visitors are going to be youngsters.
The activities needed to be simple and fun; it also needed to cheer up the elders because only the previous day there had been a demise at the home. So we started off with a simple game - passing the ball right after the cultural performances. The energy and excitement of the elders was TOO MUCH:) and left the youngsters asking for more. Some dancing where the young and the elderly ‘jived’ to some old country music followed this game of fun and frolic.Following the small little dance party was another game of musical chairs where we had the some of the elders playing and the youngsters encouraging and supporting them enthusiastically while the other sat down in groups to chat up with the elders talking to them about daily nothings and much more. The Apeejay Team went on with some Christmas carols while the elders joined them setting in the festive mood as Christmas is just around the corner and shared some cookies they had brought in along with them.
This is what some of them who came to FINS from the Apeejay Team had to say:
Mr. Sundeep Mathur - Corporate Director Human Resources
”Feelings and emotions are many! Amongst the very few special and important days in my life! The challenge is to take this forward in totality.
Thank you to the whole organizing team. “
Ms. Jaba Banerjee - Associate Director - Sales
"Life seems to be meaningless when you see them. A person toil all through his life for the family, thinking a day would come when he/she can just relax and spend time with his/her grand children and tell tales of his youthful days to them. But when I saw them today it was clear in their smile, life has not kept its promise. Spending three hours with them today has brought such a lot of happiness and satisfaction to me.
There are lots of special day's in one's life, this day would definitely be one of my Special Day..
Ms. Megha Dinesh - Brand Manager Aura
"Today was the first experience for me to visit an old age home. It was an experience of mixed feelings coming from a joint family background.
On one hand we are getting an opportunity to interact with these wise souls who all are beaming with loving energies and enthusiasm. Dancing gracefully, playing joyfully, their interactions filled with passion. On the other side a mockery on our present day society wherein we have deserted our own parents and family members to pursue our whims and fancies giving a blind eye to their sacrifices and patience."
Thomas Kuriyan –Associate Director, Human Resources
"Elders are sometimes annoying or really getting to your nerves...but if we can merely tolerate and adjust ...why can't there children do it....they are desperately alone...longing to see people like us...wanting to speak with us...is this the best we can give our parents in their last phase of life...
I would only suggest 1 thing to all of you out there...Please visit an old age home at least once...you will want to go again and help them share there grief.. Our visit to FINS (Friends In Needs Society) this morning was an eye-opener for all. I believe that it is our god given duty and responsibility to care for our parents and elders in the family in their old age.. Spending theses 3 hours with them made us understand how much a smile and a few words of care meant to them. "
Lynn Cormack - Assistant Manager - GMO
"It was a great experience to share our love and affection with the old folks at the FINS during the Christmas season. As the saying goes though they are old, they are young at heart and always smiling. "
My random thoughts-
Lots of dancing, lots of fun, singing and merriment, there were also some dark shadows that couldn’t be ignored.
This quote would be most perfect to describe the elders at FINS,"Celebrate the happiness that friends are always giving, make every day a holiday and celebrate just living!" for these elders every day is a holiday to celebrate happiness.
Happiness however comes of the capacity to feel deeply, to enjoy simply, to think freely, to risk life, to be needed. The reason for those shadows in their eyes is that their urge to feel special, feel wanted and needed is not taken care of. They are not alone are they? We all want to feel special, we want people to know, we want to feel that others see us as special. There's an inherent desire to be liked and surrounded by others that we cannot fight.
Today the elders at FINS did feel very special, there was that twinkle in those eyes which has seen it all and simply yearns for love. Thanks to the Apeejay Volunteers who made their day a very memorable one, made them feel special, important and needed.
I learnt something today,elders require respect and compassion, like any other human does. So, assuming that you know what they want or need-doesn’t help! Just ask them, most likely they will tell you exactly what they want and how they want it. Young people tend to think they know better than their parents/elders in their home just because they are in a decline and because it is said that the older you get the more you have a regression until finally you become like a baby and need to be treated like one.
This is a conversation that I had with one of the elders at the home.
There were four older gentlemen up at the hall. One was tall and hunched over, he dint like me standing and wanted me to sit down. I dint want to offend him and sat down next to him. He was so old and brittle. His face was expressionless with a hint of desperation. He looked like all the people in the home.
“My name is Anusha!” I said to him, and he kissed my cheek. I took him to a table - he uses a walker and he’s hunched over like a candy cane.
I asked him questions, and he intially kept saying, “Oh I see!” There didn’t seem to be any spark in him- just a ghost.
He later slowly asked me many other questions including how often I see my parents.Asked me very very random stuff like have I been to college and if I am an Anglo Indian. Amidst all that random talk he said,"Anusha, your body may be aging and you may not be able to be as active as you used to, or you have illnesses that won't let you be as coordinated as you once were but from that doesnt mean you are a baby. Even if you pee in yourself, that doesn't make you a baby, it is just a natural wear and tear of your bladder". Finally he said something before he asked me what I want for Christmas,he said, “think about what you want your children to know about you when you become elderly. Let that guide you in your quest. You will find yourself there, one day.”
Mr. Sundeep Mathur - Corporate Director Human Resources
”Feelings and emotions are many! Amongst the very few special and important days in my life! The challenge is to take this forward in totality.
Thank you to the whole organizing team. “
Ms. Jaba Banerjee - Associate Director - Sales
"Life seems to be meaningless when you see them. A person toil all through his life for the family, thinking a day would come when he/she can just relax and spend time with his/her grand children and tell tales of his youthful days to them. But when I saw them today it was clear in their smile, life has not kept its promise. Spending three hours with them today has brought such a lot of happiness and satisfaction to me.
There are lots of special day's in one's life, this day would definitely be one of my Special Day..
Ms. Megha Dinesh - Brand Manager Aura
"Today was the first experience for me to visit an old age home. It was an experience of mixed feelings coming from a joint family background.
On one hand we are getting an opportunity to interact with these wise souls who all are beaming with loving energies and enthusiasm. Dancing gracefully, playing joyfully, their interactions filled with passion. On the other side a mockery on our present day society wherein we have deserted our own parents and family members to pursue our whims and fancies giving a blind eye to their sacrifices and patience."
Thomas Kuriyan –Associate Director, Human Resources
"Elders are sometimes annoying or really getting to your nerves...but if we can merely tolerate and adjust ...why can't there children do it....they are desperately alone...longing to see people like us...wanting to speak with us...is this the best we can give our parents in their last phase of life...
I would only suggest 1 thing to all of you out there...Please visit an old age home at least once...you will want to go again and help them share there grief.. Our visit to FINS (Friends In Needs Society) this morning was an eye-opener for all. I believe that it is our god given duty and responsibility to care for our parents and elders in the family in their old age.. Spending theses 3 hours with them made us understand how much a smile and a few words of care meant to them. "
Lynn Cormack - Assistant Manager - GMO
"It was a great experience to share our love and affection with the old folks at the FINS during the Christmas season. As the saying goes though they are old, they are young at heart and always smiling. "
My random thoughts-
Lots of dancing, lots of fun, singing and merriment, there were also some dark shadows that couldn’t be ignored.
This quote would be most perfect to describe the elders at FINS,"Celebrate the happiness that friends are always giving, make every day a holiday and celebrate just living!" for these elders every day is a holiday to celebrate happiness.
Happiness however comes of the capacity to feel deeply, to enjoy simply, to think freely, to risk life, to be needed. The reason for those shadows in their eyes is that their urge to feel special, feel wanted and needed is not taken care of. They are not alone are they? We all want to feel special, we want people to know, we want to feel that others see us as special. There's an inherent desire to be liked and surrounded by others that we cannot fight.
Today the elders at FINS did feel very special, there was that twinkle in those eyes which has seen it all and simply yearns for love. Thanks to the Apeejay Volunteers who made their day a very memorable one, made them feel special, important and needed.
I learnt something today,elders require respect and compassion, like any other human does. So, assuming that you know what they want or need-doesn’t help! Just ask them, most likely they will tell you exactly what they want and how they want it. Young people tend to think they know better than their parents/elders in their home just because they are in a decline and because it is said that the older you get the more you have a regression until finally you become like a baby and need to be treated like one.
This is a conversation that I had with one of the elders at the home.
There were four older gentlemen up at the hall. One was tall and hunched over, he dint like me standing and wanted me to sit down. I dint want to offend him and sat down next to him. He was so old and brittle. His face was expressionless with a hint of desperation. He looked like all the people in the home.
“My name is Anusha!” I said to him, and he kissed my cheek. I took him to a table - he uses a walker and he’s hunched over like a candy cane.
I asked him questions, and he intially kept saying, “Oh I see!” There didn’t seem to be any spark in him- just a ghost.
He later slowly asked me many other questions including how often I see my parents.Asked me very very random stuff like have I been to college and if I am an Anglo Indian. Amidst all that random talk he said,"Anusha, your body may be aging and you may not be able to be as active as you used to, or you have illnesses that won't let you be as coordinated as you once were but from that doesnt mean you are a baby. Even if you pee in yourself, that doesn't make you a baby, it is just a natural wear and tear of your bladder". Finally he said something before he asked me what I want for Christmas,he said, “think about what you want your children to know about you when you become elderly. Let that guide you in your quest. You will find yourself there, one day.”
You can find more pictures here.
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