In the frantic pace of modern life, we have lost the art of listening. We hear to get things done and check off our ever growing to do list, but we often don’t slow down to truly listen. The saddest part of this is that we are missing out on opportunities to learn and grow from those in our lives that have spent decades doing so. Our seniors have so much to teach us through their life stories and experiences. They can put us in the middle of the great depression with descriptions sure to break your heart, then turn around and tell us how they used grit and creativity to overcome the struggles of this hardship. They had childhoods filled with newspaper routes, family radio nights and glass jug milk delivery. They remember what it was like to hang their clothes out to dry and the excitement over a single piece of candy. Our seniors can share marriage tips to those of us a few years in on how they made it to sixty, seventy or even eighty years married to the love of their life. When we don’t make the time to listen to
their wisdom, we lose history and the comfort of knowing there is always a way to get through. There is a beauty to sharing ourselves to teach another person what we have learned through our lives and our seniors have lived extraordinary lives. Not only does this benefit the listener, it makes the senior feel like they matter. Our seniors do matter. Their stories matter. We all need to carve out the time to sit with them patiently and listen before we are unable to. Take the time today to ask a senior their story then stop and listen.
We have senior caregivers that enjoy listening to others stories, if your loved one needs a companion to connect with. Please visit our website (www.shscharlottenc.com) or contact us at (704) 573-6838 for more information or to schedule a complimentary consultation.