You may have never heard of it, but it’s about time a little is told about those who work for the RSVP. The Retired Service Volunteer Program offers a full range of volunteer opportunities with thousands of local and national organizations working hand in hand to assist our aging elderly population throughout the country. It’s main goal is to help elderly, as well as disabled adults, live more independent, safer and more comfortable lives.
The RSVP is Americas largest volunteer network for people age 55 and older. There are nearly 500,000 volunteers across the US who help the elderly with any number of problems that they come across and cannot perform or correct on their own. The RSVP has been in operation since 1972 and has helped countless people, and will continue providing assistance as long as there are people willing to donate their time.
The Little Known Nightmare Of Aging
It’s hard to entertain the idea of aging and becoming old. The thought that many of the people you’ve known or have become friends with in your lifetime has passed away. Families, as regrettable as it sounds, too often turn their backs on their grandparents and aging family members. So with friends and family gone, who is an elderly person to turn to. At that point, they may very well have given up on caring or hoping to be cared for.
It may be that an elderly person needs help shopping, or cleaning up around the house. But often, what they need more than anything else is just a person to talk to. Imagine what it’s like, the isolation that persists in their lives when they are unwilling, or even unable, to get out and socialize.
The Elderly Still Have Much To Offer
Think of all the experiences a person can have by living 1 week, or a month, or even a year. I’m sure any person could tell me a few interesting bits about their life that have occurred within the last year. Now take a person who is in their 80s or older. They have 8 decades worth of experience and knowledge, and nobody to share those experiences with. No one to tell their tales to and outlooks on life based on their ocean of knowledge from living for so long. Most the time they may feel they are looked upon with disdain as our society glamorizes youth and beauty, while shunning old age and all that goes with it.
It used to be that elderly people were looked up to and used for their knowledge and wisdom. Knowledge is different nowadays because you can learn mostly anything on the Internet. But wisdom only comes to those who have had a lifetime of experiences, and have gathered the same amount in knowledge. There is much to be learned from them, there is also much owed as well. Many of the actions of our elderly population were for the sake of posterity, and we greatly benefit from the work they have done. So we should be showing thanks, or at least appreciation.
What Can Be Done
Being mindful of what our elderly population has done for us in the past, respecting them now for what they can still offer, and helping in any way possible is all that needs to be done. If you’re on a bus, and an elderly person gets on, perhaps offering your seat would show a little respect. If you are at the super market and see an elderly person with a bunch of groceries, offering to help them out to their car could show some compassion. Donating time at a local retirement home is one easy way to ensure an older person doesn’t have to live day after day with no one caring that they are there, or attempting to visit them. Starting up an organization or club that provides services or entertainment would indeed be a tremendous aid towards making the process of becoming older less lonely and painful.
Any and every means possible of helping, whether that be by providing financial aid or donating time and services is better than doing nothing at all. Just remember that one day you too will be in their shoes. If you expect or anticipate any stranger helping you in the future, you had better consider doing the same for elderly people now. Because unless we start helping ourselves, who is to show our children that it is needed, and if our children don’t know, we are definitely going to be in for some lonely and difficult years in the future.
The author of this article is Damien S. Wilhelmi, an SEO tactician and SEM strategist. If you enjoyed this article, you can follow me on twitter @FacePalLaw. If you know of an elderly person who has suffered from Nursing Home Malpractice, than you should consult a Denver Nursing Home Abuse attorney immediately.
Unknown Heroes And A Bastion Of Hope For Our Aging And Elderly Population: The RSVP
