Senjorus prižiūrinti Greta: jiems, kaip ir visiems žmonėms, gyvybiškai reikalinga socializacija ir savirealizacija

Old age awaits us all. These words should be followed by everyone in the field of social services. Therefore, Greta Buslienė from Kaunas, who has been working with seniors for three years, assures that it is not enough to tidy up their homes, make them eat or wash and comb them while caring for the elderly. According to her, from time to time the society "writes off" seniors and thus excludes them from social life. But in reality, seniors, like all other people, need vital socialization and self-realization. 

Creating a positive old age is vital

It is no secret that seniors, especially lonely ones, are much less involved in public life and spend more and more time in solitude. Therefore, G. Buslienė, the assistant coordinator of the program of the National Institute for Social Integration "Seniors", states that today it is especially important to help seniors on the path of self-realization and socialization. According to her, there is no need to knock down mountains or reinvent the wheel - sometimes just a conversation over a cup of coffee or an invitation to go to a performance together is enough. 

“While I was still a social worker, one of my first clients was sisters Joana and Genovaitė. It was my sister Genovaitė who helped me to understand that sometimes the smallest details can create the most beautiful moments. The story is that the two sisters are insanely different. One higher, the other lower. One is calmer, the other more active. One quieter, the other more talkative. No matter how different they are, they are extremely close. But once one of the sisters had to go to the hospital. At that time, I was caring for the remaining senior Genovaitė at home. I saw that she was insanely upset, could not find a place at home, ”says G. Buslienė.

“Even though my work shift was coming to an end, I couldn’t leave the senior like that. So I suggested she cook zeppelins together. The senior said she didn't want to do anything fun without her sister, but I still tried to show her that beautiful memories could be created in other ways. So, otherwise we persuaded Genovaitė to make zeppelins, and while they were still empty in the pot, we took a slow step to walk around the yard. The mood was getting better and already when we returned home to eat zeppelins, the senior really felt happy, ”G. Buslienė continues the story.

The interlocutor remembers how Genovaitė thanked her for this day. Because it is difficult for sisters to be alone, it was very important to show that it is possible not to lose joy in life, even after a short break-up. So just going for a walk or making zeppelins with good company can radically change a person’s well-being.

Lessons not only for seniors but also for those who supervise them

The interviewee notices that when an older person starts to trust you and believes that you really want to bring more light and activity into his or her world, he or she becomes more open to opportunities. Yes, she says, seniors are even more receptive to using the phone or computer.

“They see us coming in with phones and computers or coming in with cars. And when they feel free to join you, then they express their interest in technology more boldly. Sometimes you are asked to show how your computer works. If they tell you interestingly, they will still be interested in how it is possible to write on the board here, and even that written information reaches others, ”smiles the assistant of the senior program coordinator.

The interlocutor shares more stories of how small things can change a senior’s daily routine. According to her, there are endless ways to bring more color into the lives of seniors, in every sense.

"If you come to a senior with a brighter T-shirt, it will, of course," scan "you. And still ask where you got them from. Sometimes he hints at the hint that he wants to. Then you buy her similar ones. And, look, she put on a new t-shirt, where maybe she hadn’t changed her old year until then. It is a minimal thing, but in reality this is how we can encourage lonely seniors to discover joyful moments in their daily lives, ”G. Buslienė shares stories.

This work should be done by young people - lessons

 A person should be judged on the inside, not the outside. This is one of the most important lessons you learn from working with seniors. As an example, G. Buslienė tells a story from which she had to learn.

"I have been caring for senior Vanda for a long time. She lived in a beautiful big house, but always walked in torn old slippers. When one of the other seniors I cared for decided to throw away a lot of good quality shoes, I decided to take them better to Vanda. But even after I brought it, I saw the senior continue to walk with her old slippers, as if ignoring the gifts. Once, without hurt, I asked Vanda why she was still rejecting help. And only then did the senior reveal that she could not wear the shoes because she had pain in her legs, which turned out to be severely deformed, ”says G. Buslienė.

And that’s just one invaluable lesson. In the same way, such work requires patience and helps to realize that old age is inevitable. According to the interviewee, these lessons can be very useful for all people who have worked with seniors, and especially for young people.

"Nowadays, the gap between seniors and young family members is very large. Therefore, I would especially recommend working with seniors to young people. Probably most of us in our youth were extremely impatient, far removed from societal issues or interactions with older people. "I believe that young people are becoming more and more social these days, so I am convinced that if they came to learn from the elderly with open hearts, they could get to know themselves better, gain inner strength or eventually learn to cook traditional zeppelins," Greta smiles.