Comments about ‘Utahns encouraged to 'adopt' seniors in nursing homes’

Such a great article. Is there any better way to be a follower of Christ? This article has moved me to participate in this program.

I think about similar issues whenever I hear about an elderly person in a car accident. I wonder what it would take to get a volunteer group started to drive these people to their destinations. Many seniors have adult children to help them, but what about neighbors and other volunteers stepping in to help provide transportation and company for these important people in our community?

My wife works at one of these facilities. It is sad to see so many people who are all alone during life's final years.

All nursing and assisted living facilities are always looking for volunteers, helpers, visitors. Give them a call or just drop in. It's a great way to brighten someone's day.

Great idea. Our family sang to residents of a nursing home yesterday. They were SO excited to see our kids. They also just wanted to talk. Really nice people. I'm going to go back.

Lots of times I try to find a way for kids to learn service, but they have a hard time making/doing things that are helpful. But in this case they can do what's needed easily. You just have to prepare them ahead of time for people wanting to hold their hands (one sweet lady wanted to kiss my daughter). So if you can talk to the kids ahead of time so they know what to expect. Also, you can talk to them about how it must be to be lonely in a place like that when you have memories of kids being around.

Thanks for the article.

One of my most tender places in my heart is how I took care of my parents in their final years. I was able to meet so many elderly people at the Assisted living where they lived. I still go and visit a lady that I became close to who lives there. She is only a few years older than me and it breaks my heart that she is so much younger than most of the people who live there. She is lonely and it is so hard on her at times because she just gets close to someone and then they either die or need to go into a nursing home. I love this article and it is amazing just how much better it makes one feel when they can brighten up a persons day just by showing that they care. It truly is a blessing not only in the persons life who lives there but also for the person who takes the time to go and spend it with someone who needs to know that they are loved and that someone cares for them.

I've often wondered why the dear elderly remain here on earth to linger, when they are no longer able to accomplish anything of significance or purpose with their lives.
And there are probably answers that I haven't even thought of.
But one thought is the possibility that they remain here to test us, their children and loved ones, to see if we will care for them as they once cared for us.
If not, we have failed to "honor our father and our mother", as I don't see a time limit stating "till you don't need them anymore" on that commandment.
I really wonder what many of us are doing with our time. As in, how many hours do we really need of computor games, or TV time, or internet time (guilty).
Thanks for a great article.

@AZRods: An interesting thought. However I believe the current state of so many elderly "lingering" long past their usefulness is directly linked to our medical system.

Once you start down the road of old age the body and mind start wearing out. We've got plenty of drugs that will keep you alive but we can't cure the more debilitating ailments like alzheimers and parkinsons.

I firmly believe one of the reasons that we haven't cured these diseases is that there is very little profit in it. Most seniors are on government income, and the government won't pay out hundreds of thousands of dollars for treatments, so there is little incentive for drug companies to invest massive amounts of R&D into finding a real cure.

Instead of solving the problem they would rather treat the symptoms... get you on a pill that you have to take twice a day for the rest of your life... that's where the money is.