The Elderly

Who do we wish to reach?

You only have to look around our society to see that there are many organizations that orient themselves to the needs of seniors. However most of these organizations direct their activities only to seniors who are relatively healthy and active, in body and spirit.

Freunde alter Menschen, on the other hand, looks especially to seniors who are relatively old and share the following:

loneliness
life alone in their apartment or other setting
absence of relatives or friends because of distance or loss of contact

Often these people are unable to leave their apartment without someone to assist them. This means that it may have been weeks, months or even years since they have been able to even think about a vacation, outing or restaurant visit.

Often the only contact these people have with the outside world is through professional nurses or other organizational caregivers who have a restricted time schedule. They must move on to the next client before they have had a chance to chat, go for a walk or read aloud the newspaper.

The life story of many of our elderly friends suggests that the gradually developing loneliness in later life comes from a combination of their lack of a sense of belonging and their lack of financial resources. Poverty in its many forms generates isolation and loneliness.

Where do the elders live?

There are basically three different living situations:

Living alone in an apartment or a house
Living in a nursing home, convalescent care center or other supervised home
Living with their own family or a relative, in which case they will not normally qualify for our services, assuming that they are already well taken care of

How do we get to know the elders?

It is rare that an isolated elderly person will independently notify Freunde alter Menschen of their needs. Usually we become aware of them through notification by a third party. We hear by telephone or personal contact from a social worker, maid service, nurse, meal service, letter carrier, neighbor or from their minister or priest or a member of another organization to which he or she belongs.

As soon as we understand the living situation of the elderly person we gradually and carefully make contact. With the agreement of the elder, we will involve a person known to him or her as a reference. The first visit will take place only after there has been contact by phone or letter.