Have you ever wondered what all those old people you see in doctors’ offices and the supermarket do with their time?
For the most part, they don’t go to work, they don’t own cottages, and they don’t have the money to travel, play golf or sail.
In fact, they engage in few of the activities promoted by the 55 Alive ads. Maybe they spend their days getting prescriptions for Viagra, securing their dentures and eating bran flakes. Maybe not. In fact, definitely not.
The contribution of retired people to the social infrastructure of our community is immense. Since community services are habitually underrated and underfunded by all three levels of government, it falls to the goodwill and hard work of volunteers to pick up the slack.
Pick your service, and there we are – the grey and white brigades.
Walk Fido and clean Fluffy’s cage at the OSPCA? Or tend to the swans at the Wye Marsh? Delighted.
Run the coffee bar and gift shop at the hospital? Of course.
Host a coffee morning for Alzheimer’s? What would you like me to serve?
Drive a cancer patient to Princess Margaret Hospital for therapy? Glad to.
With the possible exception of Alzheimer’s, these services are not directly related to aging. They are performed in a spirit of altruism and generosity, not self-interest.
There is an erroneous view that seniors sap the vitality of a community, that they are a drain on health services, that their main contribution to the economy is to nursing homes and funeral parlours, and that they slow traffic and cause accidents.
At least once a year, it’s important to stop and reflect on the other side of the coin: the vast contribution of time and skill that older men and women bring to our daily lives. Count the losses should seniors decide to pack it in and stay home. Decide for yourself whether we’re an asset or a liability.
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Lin Sullivan, a volunteer at Habitat for Humanity’s ReStore in Midland, is one of countless seniors whose contributions make this community a better place to live.
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