Why We Care: Olivia

My sister and I grew up visiting our grandparents frequently. We lived with them in their apartment on weekends, and they took great care of us, taking us to the parks to feed the nearby pigeons and play on the playsets. As a young girl, I remember eagerly looking forward to each weekend at their apartment.

Gradually, my sister and I grew older and busier, and visiting them every single weekend was no longer feasible with our busy school schedules. To our delight, they started coming to our house every weekend. Their weekly visits continued for several years, and even though we couldn't understand each other perfectly due to my grandparents only knowing some English and us speaking little Chinese, I knew they loved us dearly. They gave us gifts and shared with us their wisdom and experiences.

Unfortunately, the inevitable effects of aging have taken a toll. My grandfather has lost much of his hearing and alertness, and requires much assistance nowadays in simple tasks like taking a plate upstairs. Nonetheless, he is still the same loving grandfather I knew from my early days, as he still brightens up whenever he sees us and very thoughtfully gives us presents.

Sadly, my grandmother was diagnosed with cancer and passed away over a year ago. This was devastating for our family, and yet we remembered the life she had lived and her love towards us. It reminded me of the value our seniors have for us, the younger generation, and we should cherish our time with them.

This is in part the reason for my involvement with Elderly Embrace Care Network. I fully support the mission of bridging the generational gap, as though they may seem distant to us, we have much to learn from the older generation. Furthermore, by spreading awareness about seniors, supporting organizations to combat diseases like Alzheimer's, and working on service projects, we can make an impact on the elderly's lives.

For instance, I remember visiting nursing homes quite often when I was young. A group of us with our church would sing Christmas carols and play instruments. Seeing how our presence cheered them up and impacted them showed me how much our presence meant to them.

Through my experiences with my grandparents and at nursing homes, I believe our generation can help our seniors greatly. I love working with the Elderly Embrace Care Network to bridge this generational gap, and I look forward to working with them in the future!

Olivia Shaw