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The National Trends and
Services Facet seeks to eliminate disparities by reducing barriers to
services through advocacy, education and service
Service Activities to Increase Seniors' Health and Self-Efficacy as well as to Add More Joy to Their Golden Years.  The Chapter is partnering with Wartburg in Westchester which offers
integrated, comprehensive senior
care services to provide hands-on,
participatory activities for its residents. For example, the chapter
members shown here presented "An Afternoon of Beauty" in which
residents made Easter baskets,
gardened and made squares for a quilt. Chapter members also provided manicures in order to build in
an
opportunity for sustained one-on-one conversation with individual seniors. The activities were
designed in keeping with the
Wartburg's Creative Aging & Lifelong Learning Program and to promote
residents' health and sense of being able to contribute their own
well-being. Time spent talking and
interacting one-on-one was a key
aspect of all of the activities the chapter presented to the seniors,
who have indicated how much they enjoyed the conversations and
individual attention.  Building
on the theme of promoting health and enabling residents to contribute
to their own well-being,
chapter members arranged opportunities for
residents to participate in singing, as it has been shown to
have
benefits for physical and mental health. The seniors appreciated the
both dramatic performance by
a member of the Greater Centennial Drama
Club and the opportunity to sing during the intermission, as
well as
their conversations with the actor that took place over refreshments. A
dynamic concert and sing-along by the Youth Choir of Grace Baptist Church in Mount Vernon, New York was also a great hit
with the seniors, who
particularly remarked upon how much they enjoyed the young people
introducing
themselves during the concert and coming out into the
audience to talk with them at the close of the
performance. This photo
shows some of the chapter members who participated in this session. At
each
of the chapter's activities for the seniors at Wartburg
refreshments were served, therefore one chapter member shown here is
equipped with an apron. |
