Luckily, I am around the elderly almost every day.
Being with them all the time has advantages.
To start off, I would like to talk about what life lessons people could learn from seniors. Why? Because they are all storytellers.
The first life lesson one could learn from our elders is how to be loyal to others. Said simply — basic humanity. This is demonstrated by them taking care of you first when you were a baby and later how you look after them.
Grandparents tell me all sorts of stories about them taking care of me. In a few decades, I will be telling my grandchildren the stories of me looking after them. It reminds me of how Indigenous youth learn stories from their Elders.
I think it is so important to hear the stories of our ancestors.
Second, I think it would be interesting to talk about why we should hear stories from seniors about childhood. Whether they grew up in the Second World War era or the Korean war, they always seem to have an interesting story for all.
Seniors are a huge part of your life whether you realize it or not.
I think we need to bring older folks into our life more. Invite them over for dinner, cook them a meal, and the list goes on. Interacting with them can make their day! It is like a good deed a day. I promise you it is worth it.
Third, and most importantly, being around seniors creates an opportunity to appreciate simple acts of kindness. You are giving back to them what they gave to you, and it shows how much you care about family and them in particular. They love the social part of just being around you and having you visit regularly.
Acts of kindness can be everywhere in the community. Hold the door open for someone or donate to a charity because the little things are what change the world.
I always enjoy talking to people about my family because I take pride in being able to see them every week. I 100% recommend going to long-term care and visiting any elder. Taking the time to talk to any senior who you don’t personally know could be just as enlightening as talking to your loved one.
If you can, visit residents at and during the week at certain times for storytelling, meal time and other amenities. I promise you, your heart will be full from sharing your time. Maybe, just maybe, you will learn a little more about life, humanity, and yourself.
Melanie Booth is a Grade 8 撸奶社区student who would like to be a journalist one day.
