has just launched the “What difference does it make?” campaign, which aims to draw social attention to the problem of loneliness among seniors. Currently, volunteers of the Little Brothers of the Poor Association regularly visit and support elderly, lonely people from Warsaw, Pruszków, Legionowo, Łódź, Pabianice, Lublin, Świdnik, Kraków, Toruń, Tarnów, Poznań, Gniezno, Wrocław and Wałbrzych.
Polish seniors suffer alone. They have no one to talk to
Many older people are simply doomed to loneliness for many reasons. Death of loved ones, friends, adult children who move abroad or even several hundred kilometers away. Added to this is the fact that these people often become invisible to society. Mr. Władysław Rybiński, a volunteer of the Little Brothers of the Poor Association, knows this very well. He regularly visits 98-year-old Mrs. Ula, who usually stays in a Social Welfare Home. – He doesn’t have much family. In her free time, only her niece visits her. Her sister recently died. Mrs. Urszula is therefore a single person. It’s true that DPS employees take care of her, but she has no company, no friends – she says in an interview with Kobiet.gazeta.pl.
When he shows up at her place, they just sit and talk. This is what Ms. Ula needs the most. Smiling, exchanging opinions, views, listening. Ordinary interactions with another person who is interested in what they have to say.
Currently, Mrs. Ula is mourning for her sister. And there is no one to talk to about it. Imagine how difficult it is: not having someone close to you to talk to about things that are really important
– emphasizes the volunteer.
“There are no young people who would like to listen to her stories.”
– The second thing is the world of memories that she has no one to share with. There are no longer people around who remember that world, there are no childhood friends who would remember anything from the times of pre-war Toruń. There are simply no such conversation partners. But there are no young people who would like to listen to her stories, says Mr. Władysław. He adds that regardless of whether we get used to living alone or not, each of us has a need to be heard by another person. – Who looks at us and reacts to what we say – he specifies.
‘What’s the Difference?’ campaign poster Association of Little Brothers of the Poor
According to Mr. Władysław, the problem of loneliness among seniors is getting worse. When we talk, he is going to see Mr. Waldek, a 70-year-old who lives alone with three cats.
“Mr. Waldek has no legs and lives in a block of flats without an elevator”
– Mr. Waldek has no legs and lives in a block of flats without an elevator. Of course, he can call somewhere and talk to someone, but his contacts are minimal. When I walk through the city, I think that hundreds of elderly people live in these blocks and are very lonely. Because, for example, the children have already grown up and gone to work and they no longer have friends – he mentions.
I wish we would pay more attention to this on a daily basis. And that we should become sensitive to their situations. So that we start noticing each other
– sums up Mr. Władysław.
“After going through three concentration camps, she did not lose the joy of life”
The Little Brothers of the Poor Association also describes the story of Mrs. Barbara from Warsaw. After the death of her beloved husband, Juleczka could not find her place in the empty house. “She had been married for 52 years and it was difficult for her to come to terms with the fact that in her own four walls she was content only with silence. Meeting Anna, a volunteer who lives in the same district, helped her accept the new reality and made life more colorful. “- we read in the press release of the Little Brothers of the Poor Association.
Mrs. Basia and Anna not only meet once a week, but also take part in the Association’s events, such as ‘Holidays in One Day’. Mrs. Barbara thinks that her new friend is beautiful and a wonderful person. Volunteer Anna, who has been dating Ms. Basia for over a year, is still very impressed by her optimism and willingness to live.
“It is extraordinary that after going through three concentration camps, Mrs. Basia has not lost the joy of life. She still wants to learn new things, meet people and enjoy life. I help her with this, and she makes delicious tea, supports my passion for tennis and encourages you to become a model,” says volunteer Anna, quoted in the material sent to our editorial office.
Mrs. Basia and Mrs. Anna Association of Little Brothers of the Poor
Loneliness is a civilization disease. How to support lonely seniors?
The Little Brothers of the Poor Association points out that loneliness is the disease of the 21st century, and many seniors are unable to protect themselves from it, usually due to factors beyond their control. That is why it is so important that contact with another person is constant and regular. This is ensured by volunteers as part of the “Presence” program. The program is based on creating relationships through systematic and supportive contact between volunteers and seniors. It’s all about devoting your time and attention to seniors.
“Little things like being with another person or drinking tea together make lonely older people feel important and needed. Although it may seem like a small difference, the company of someone with whom you can talk, celebrate a birthday, reminisce or go for a walk is invaluable for seniors,” notes Daria Michalik, team leader at the Little Brothers of the Poor Association, quoted in the press material.
“With the ‘Presence’ program, we are responding to one of the greatest epidemics of this century: loneliness. Older people really need attention, listening and the presence of other people, as our volunteers see every day,” explains the director of the Little Brothers of the Poor Association, Joanna Mielczarek. He adds that “sometimes you really don’t need much to add color to your life.” “The goal of the program and the task of the volunteers is not to completely change the habits of seniors or turn her or him into a hero straight from a Hollywood movie who will enjoy life in crazy ways,” he explains.
Source: Gazeta
Bruce is a talented author and journalist with a passion for entertainment . He currently works as a writer at the 247 News Agency, where he has established himself as a respected voice in the industry.
