Golden moments with the old folks
August 15, 2002 | 12:00am
It’s been quite a while since I have written for Young Star. I’ve been quite busy with many things. Mainly trying to live life as much as I can. But all this time, I actually had some moments to spare to sit down and write an article or two. The truth is, there hasn’t been anything I really felt like writing about. Nothing really seemed to excite me or touch me and so I didn’t write until now.
I don’t really know how to start this. Not because I’ve forgotten how to write, but I guess because I have mixed feelings about what I am going to write about. I’m sad but at the same time I’m happy. I can’t really pinpoint how I feel. Maybe when the article is finished or maybe somewhere along the way, I can place myself. Hopefully as you read on you will understand where I am coming from. I hope to convey what I feel; as what happened touched my life, and I hope through this article it touches your life, too.
As some of you may know I am part of the MTV-Penshoppe Youth Council, and apart from modeling and all the glamorous stuff we do, we also try to do our part to make this world a better place by doing socio-civic oriented activities. Since last March, we have participated in three major activities, namely Habitat for Humanity, a trip to Chosen Children Foundation, and, last but definitely not the least, a visit to Golden Acres, home for the aged. I actually promised MTV to write about Habitat for Humanity but procrastinated. But when we visited Golden Acres, I asked if I could write about it instead. Obviously, among the three activities, the visit to Golden Acres was the one that moved me the most.
The meeting place was at Starbucks, Valero St., Makati at seven in the morning. I woke up at seven. I was late again! So I sent a text message to Anne, who is our guardian/guidance counselor and told her I was running late but on the way. We were asked to bring a few things, tokens of some sort. I erased the message that said the suggestions of what to bring, and I only remembered to bring milk. At this time though, I still had no idea what Golden Acres was. I honestly thought that it was a place with children. What I bought was safe, thank God, for it would have been so embarrassing if I had decided to buy the stuffed toy I was eyeing. Anyway, when I got to Starbucks, apparently I wasn’t really late at all, as only Terence was there. After a hearty breakfast, everyone else arrived and so we headed for Golden Acres, which is located behind SM North.
On the way there, I found out what Golden Acres really was but I still really did not know what to expect. The place at first was very unassuming with regard to the people who live there. From the outside, Golden Acres reminded me of a provincial local government-funded public school. When we got into the lobby, we were briefed by Ms. Pacita Sarino and our MTV superiors. All they said basically was what we were going to do, which was to hand out some housedresses, pajamas and towelettes. After the briefing, we went inside to the first cluster of rooms or units, where the old folks were.
It was kind of slow at first, and we were all still getting the feel of things while distributing the donations. But quickly, we all got a feel of the place. The first funny incident happened in the first cluster of rooms. While our MTV superiors Charley and Cris were standing, an old man with a cane came up to them, looked at them both, told them how pretty they both were, and asked the girls if he could pursue them. In reply, Cris said, "Manong, binobola ninyo naman kami" to the old man. He replied, "Matagal na, hindi ninyo lang alam" and walked away with his cane. It was also here in the first cluster where we met a former master sergeant who now calls Golden Acres his home.
Some of the clusters looked the same and some of them looked entirely different. Male quarters were separate from female quarters. Some clusters had nice quiet corridors with cozy little rooms that had bed space for three to six. Other clusters didn’t seem like clusters, they were more like wards. These ward-like facilities had tiled floors and seemed to be constantly wet, since some old people can no longer control their bladder. They had to stay together in these ward-like facilities so that the room could be cleaned as often as possible.
There are many programs and activities that Golden Acres offers the old folks as they try to make their lives as full as possible. These activities are also links to the outside world, since this is what these lolos and lolas call home. There are games both athletic and mental. There is even a lolo who is supposedly very good in billiards. There are also beauty contests or costume contests every so often. They have a Flores de Mayo. There’s a Valentine’s couple contest and other fun stuff. They also have activities every so often, if there is a budget, where they can bring some lolos and lolas to eat out.
At first, the lolos and lolas all looked the same to me; they were all just old. But little by little I started to see how unique each and everyone was. And then it struck me. We were distributing dusters in the second cluster of homes for the women, when two lolas’ personalities really hit me. I was on the way back to get some more dusters in the doorway when one lola stopped me and asked me if my friend was actually holding a camera. I told her that yes it actually was a camera, and my friend offered to take a picture of us. As a shot was taken, the lola smiled widely and it was as if she wanted some pictures taken, so my friend just kept on taking. As we were going to the next clusters, we decided to take a group shot of everybody and this lola joined. Just when we were about to leave the room, the music changed to a local dance song, and one lola all suddenly broke into dance. She danced like one of us, she danced as if she were in a disco, she danced like she was in a prom. As she smiled, her face was young again.
It was those two lolas that did it for me. They opened my eyes into "their" world. Apparently, it wasn’t so different from ours. These two lolas showed me how they used to be just like us, and how now they are reminiscent of those days. I also saw one who supposedly looked like some of the characters of the TV show she watches.
There was one lola who even coaxed me into buying some orange crochet coasters that she had been making. I tried bargaining but I ended up buying four for a hundredâ€â€what a good businesswoman! The funny thing was, when we went to the next cluster and started distributing housedresses, we realized that there were too manylolas in that place and so we had to start giving out towelettes. As my hands did not have anything left but the coasters I had just bought from that other lola, some lolas called me over and asked for the coasters I had in my hand instead. Of course, I gave it to them. But at that point the lola who sold it to me had followed me to tell me how to use those coasters and she saw me giving the coasters away. She said, "Bakit mo pinamimigay yan?" I could only reply that the other lolas were asking for it. I was so embarrassed.
Before leaving the place, in one of the last clusters, there was this one lola who really moved me. As I gave her a duster, she thanked me wholeheartedly just like the other lolos and lolas did when we gave them stuff. But this lola shook my hand and looked at me straight in the eye when she said thank you. She also asked to have my other hand, and I gave it. She squeezed both hands and said, "Nanggigigil ako sa iyo!" She then told me how to say "I love you" in sign language. Then she said it to me. She told me that I was very blessed. She told me I was a beautiful person. I felt something so different and unexplainable after that.
When we were done distributing sour gifts, we went back to the lobby and rested for a few moments as Ms. Sarino gave us a few words. She told us the current situation of the place and answered many of our questions about the place. She told us a lot of very important things, valuable lessons that we can all learn from. One of the things she told us was, as we could already tell, some of these lolos and lolas were very intelligent and were definitely not to be underestimated. A lot are still very active. Though death is inevitable for all of us, it is just closer to these lolos and lolas. And yet this doesn’t mean that they should stay in a corner and just await death.
The sad part about this whole story is the fact that most of these lolos and lolas were left here by their families, their children. Can you imagine that? After they are carried for nine months in the wombs, after they are brought up and given them the lives they have now, they leave their lolos and lolas in this place. Understandably, financial situations call for it sometimes. But it isn’t so much to at least visit them every so often. Supposedly about 90 percent of the families don’t come to visit, not even during the holidays. These lolos and lolas need love. That is what they really want and need at this point. They want people to take care of them and love them.
A point to ponder on. Do you think that it was in any of their plans while growing up and living their youth, that they would end up in a home for the aged?
I guess what I am trying to say is, be kind to your elders. Give them the love and respect that they deserve. They are not only our links to the past but more importantly, they were the ones who brought us here and made us who we are today.
I don’t really know how to start this. Not because I’ve forgotten how to write, but I guess because I have mixed feelings about what I am going to write about. I’m sad but at the same time I’m happy. I can’t really pinpoint how I feel. Maybe when the article is finished or maybe somewhere along the way, I can place myself. Hopefully as you read on you will understand where I am coming from. I hope to convey what I feel; as what happened touched my life, and I hope through this article it touches your life, too.
As some of you may know I am part of the MTV-Penshoppe Youth Council, and apart from modeling and all the glamorous stuff we do, we also try to do our part to make this world a better place by doing socio-civic oriented activities. Since last March, we have participated in three major activities, namely Habitat for Humanity, a trip to Chosen Children Foundation, and, last but definitely not the least, a visit to Golden Acres, home for the aged. I actually promised MTV to write about Habitat for Humanity but procrastinated. But when we visited Golden Acres, I asked if I could write about it instead. Obviously, among the three activities, the visit to Golden Acres was the one that moved me the most.
The meeting place was at Starbucks, Valero St., Makati at seven in the morning. I woke up at seven. I was late again! So I sent a text message to Anne, who is our guardian/guidance counselor and told her I was running late but on the way. We were asked to bring a few things, tokens of some sort. I erased the message that said the suggestions of what to bring, and I only remembered to bring milk. At this time though, I still had no idea what Golden Acres was. I honestly thought that it was a place with children. What I bought was safe, thank God, for it would have been so embarrassing if I had decided to buy the stuffed toy I was eyeing. Anyway, when I got to Starbucks, apparently I wasn’t really late at all, as only Terence was there. After a hearty breakfast, everyone else arrived and so we headed for Golden Acres, which is located behind SM North.
On the way there, I found out what Golden Acres really was but I still really did not know what to expect. The place at first was very unassuming with regard to the people who live there. From the outside, Golden Acres reminded me of a provincial local government-funded public school. When we got into the lobby, we were briefed by Ms. Pacita Sarino and our MTV superiors. All they said basically was what we were going to do, which was to hand out some housedresses, pajamas and towelettes. After the briefing, we went inside to the first cluster of rooms or units, where the old folks were.
It was kind of slow at first, and we were all still getting the feel of things while distributing the donations. But quickly, we all got a feel of the place. The first funny incident happened in the first cluster of rooms. While our MTV superiors Charley and Cris were standing, an old man with a cane came up to them, looked at them both, told them how pretty they both were, and asked the girls if he could pursue them. In reply, Cris said, "Manong, binobola ninyo naman kami" to the old man. He replied, "Matagal na, hindi ninyo lang alam" and walked away with his cane. It was also here in the first cluster where we met a former master sergeant who now calls Golden Acres his home.
Some of the clusters looked the same and some of them looked entirely different. Male quarters were separate from female quarters. Some clusters had nice quiet corridors with cozy little rooms that had bed space for three to six. Other clusters didn’t seem like clusters, they were more like wards. These ward-like facilities had tiled floors and seemed to be constantly wet, since some old people can no longer control their bladder. They had to stay together in these ward-like facilities so that the room could be cleaned as often as possible.
There are many programs and activities that Golden Acres offers the old folks as they try to make their lives as full as possible. These activities are also links to the outside world, since this is what these lolos and lolas call home. There are games both athletic and mental. There is even a lolo who is supposedly very good in billiards. There are also beauty contests or costume contests every so often. They have a Flores de Mayo. There’s a Valentine’s couple contest and other fun stuff. They also have activities every so often, if there is a budget, where they can bring some lolos and lolas to eat out.
At first, the lolos and lolas all looked the same to me; they were all just old. But little by little I started to see how unique each and everyone was. And then it struck me. We were distributing dusters in the second cluster of homes for the women, when two lolas’ personalities really hit me. I was on the way back to get some more dusters in the doorway when one lola stopped me and asked me if my friend was actually holding a camera. I told her that yes it actually was a camera, and my friend offered to take a picture of us. As a shot was taken, the lola smiled widely and it was as if she wanted some pictures taken, so my friend just kept on taking. As we were going to the next clusters, we decided to take a group shot of everybody and this lola joined. Just when we were about to leave the room, the music changed to a local dance song, and one lola all suddenly broke into dance. She danced like one of us, she danced as if she were in a disco, she danced like she was in a prom. As she smiled, her face was young again.
It was those two lolas that did it for me. They opened my eyes into "their" world. Apparently, it wasn’t so different from ours. These two lolas showed me how they used to be just like us, and how now they are reminiscent of those days. I also saw one who supposedly looked like some of the characters of the TV show she watches.
There was one lola who even coaxed me into buying some orange crochet coasters that she had been making. I tried bargaining but I ended up buying four for a hundredâ€â€what a good businesswoman! The funny thing was, when we went to the next cluster and started distributing housedresses, we realized that there were too manylolas in that place and so we had to start giving out towelettes. As my hands did not have anything left but the coasters I had just bought from that other lola, some lolas called me over and asked for the coasters I had in my hand instead. Of course, I gave it to them. But at that point the lola who sold it to me had followed me to tell me how to use those coasters and she saw me giving the coasters away. She said, "Bakit mo pinamimigay yan?" I could only reply that the other lolas were asking for it. I was so embarrassed.
Before leaving the place, in one of the last clusters, there was this one lola who really moved me. As I gave her a duster, she thanked me wholeheartedly just like the other lolos and lolas did when we gave them stuff. But this lola shook my hand and looked at me straight in the eye when she said thank you. She also asked to have my other hand, and I gave it. She squeezed both hands and said, "Nanggigigil ako sa iyo!" She then told me how to say "I love you" in sign language. Then she said it to me. She told me that I was very blessed. She told me I was a beautiful person. I felt something so different and unexplainable after that.
When we were done distributing sour gifts, we went back to the lobby and rested for a few moments as Ms. Sarino gave us a few words. She told us the current situation of the place and answered many of our questions about the place. She told us a lot of very important things, valuable lessons that we can all learn from. One of the things she told us was, as we could already tell, some of these lolos and lolas were very intelligent and were definitely not to be underestimated. A lot are still very active. Though death is inevitable for all of us, it is just closer to these lolos and lolas. And yet this doesn’t mean that they should stay in a corner and just await death.
The sad part about this whole story is the fact that most of these lolos and lolas were left here by their families, their children. Can you imagine that? After they are carried for nine months in the wombs, after they are brought up and given them the lives they have now, they leave their lolos and lolas in this place. Understandably, financial situations call for it sometimes. But it isn’t so much to at least visit them every so often. Supposedly about 90 percent of the families don’t come to visit, not even during the holidays. These lolos and lolas need love. That is what they really want and need at this point. They want people to take care of them and love them.
A point to ponder on. Do you think that it was in any of their plans while growing up and living their youth, that they would end up in a home for the aged?
I guess what I am trying to say is, be kind to your elders. Give them the love and respect that they deserve. They are not only our links to the past but more importantly, they were the ones who brought us here and made us who we are today.
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