By Vicki Scott
A heavy burden has been laid on my heart, and I do not know what to do.
I see a dire need in senior activities, and maybe I am not looking in the right places to lend a hand. When I lived with my mother when was suffering the middle and later stages of dementia, I perused the Dadeville area for things to do for seniors in her age group. Dadeville has a meal program, and a few programs are available in our neighboring town of Alexander City. It is very heart-wrenching that I cannot find more places that provide senior-based activities.
After my mother passed away in 2020, my thoughts faded concerning my passion for seniors until a sweet lady joined us for lunch. She used to do my mother’s tax returns. Her husband recently passed away, and unfortunately, she has stopped doing everything. She has not been out in weeks except to go to church or get a few groceries. She and her husband did not have children together, and no one visits her, and she visits no one.
The nice lady mentioned a mutual friend who told her that she had become a hermit after her husband died. This mutual friend was the reason why I knew another lady who I saw later that day. This lady’s husband passed away two years ago, and she spoke of her determination to fight off depression and decided to stay active (I must check on the alleged hermit). Before my husband Alan and I moved back to Dadeville from Glencoe, this lady was working at one of our local restaurants just to have something to do. Hopefully, that has not changed.
Believe it or not, this all happened during this past week. It brought back memories of the George Wallace Senior Center in Glencoe and all the activities I shared with the seniors. I told the lady who ate lunch with us about those activities, and when I mentioned gospel singing, she smiled as she told me how much she loved gospel singing.
The lady’s church was trying to organize lunch and activities for seniors, and another church might start something similar soon as well. I would like to help but I would feel more comfortable volunteering if I was a member of that church. Alan said I should try to start something with activities for seniors at our church in Reeltown and mentioned several church members he knew who did not stay active.
Alan and I are watching our grandchildren for the next few weeks, which might give us enough time to hear what God wants us to do. I believe we feel burdens for a reason. Please keep this situation in your prayers, and I will do my best to keep you all updated. Thank you for allowing me to vent.
Vicki Scott can be contacted at lily200383@yahoo.com.