News To Know: Walk A Mile In Someone Else's Shoes (Category: General AARP)
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August 4, 2008 |
9:01 AM
What would it be like to be 85? Many people wonder what things will be like later in life, but few actually get the opportunity to experience this. At one retirement community in Ohio, employees are getting such a chance. In order to better understand the people they serve, employees of the retirement community took part in a course in which they put on glasses to distort vision, put cotton balls in their mouths and noses to inhibit hearing and smell, and wore gloves with rubber bands on the knuckles to simulate a loss of dexterity. These people could experience what it's like to be 85. The result? A much greater understanding of the trials and tribulations that older Americans go through every day.
Tags: aging, retirement homes
Comments
Cynthia says:
Wow! I used to just imagine what it was like to reach the ripe age of 85 and beyond. I had a real life experience, of what it is like to depend on others to do for you what you used to do so easily for yourself. It was the most terrifying experience of my life. Since then I have recovered, my new quest in life is to be able to help senior citizens live this part of their life with dignty and much respect. I have a sincere desire to make the elderly feel love and appreciated. I have a vision to oneday build a community designed specifically for the elderly. It will be a 21 Century Revolution!!!!
I realize my compassion for aging is a gift from God and I can hardly wait until I'm able to share it in this manner, until then I will lift up those in nursing home by visiting them. Big Smiles!!!!
09/03/08 4:45 PM