High school students get acquainted with elderly people living alone

HONDAO Senior Citizens Welfare Foundation (弘道老人福利基金會) and Chih Ping Senior High Scout Troop (治平高中明駝童軍社) have collaborated to help celebrate the birthdays of elderly people at HONDAO’s Longtan Branch. Scout troop leader, Zhang Ya-ru (張雅茹) said that since we rarely get the opportunity to spend time with the elderly, this was a wonderful chance to chat and get a better understanding of the lives of senior citizens living alone. Helping to celebrate their birthdays together with community volunteers not only provided a great deal of joy for the elderly residents, it also gave participants a wonderful experience, one which is sure to provide cherished memories lasting long into the future.

During the event, classmate Jiang Jia-wei (江嘉偉) used Hakka to chat with an elderly man living alone, who had formerly suffered a stroke. He said the experience left him with a touch of nostalgia, because in his childhood he used to talk with his grandfather in Hakka. Sadly, with the passing away of his grandfather, the opportunity to hold his grandfather’s hand also faded into history. Jiang Jia-wei said that holding hands with the elderly gentleman at the event was very moving – all those listening to the story were moved to tears. On one hand, the activity allowed this group of senior citizens to feel the youthful spirit of high school students, while on the one hand, it allowed the high school students to learn how to interact with the elderly and experience what it feels like to care for others.

High school students get acquainted with elderly people living alone

URL：https://www.peopo.org/news/304919

(以下是中文對照)

高中生與獨居老人的近距離接觸

弘道老人福利基金會，與桃園市治平高中明駝童軍社，共同為弘道龍潭站的獨居長輩們慶生。童軍社社長張雅茹同學表示，平常比較沒有機會跟老人家相處，這次透過跟他們談話，認識獨居老人的生活方式與環境，並與社區志工共同幫他們慶生，讓長輩開心，是一個很美好的經驗和回憶。而江嘉偉同學，全程以客家話陪一位曾經罹患中風的獨居長輩聊天，並表示有一種似曾相似的感覺，因為從小就是用客家話跟阿公說話，阿公過世之後，就沒有牽長輩的手，剛才被長輩牽著，很感動，一旁的獨居長輩聽到這些話，竟漸漸紅了眼眶。這次的活動一方面讓長輩們感受到高中生的青春活力，一方面也讓高中生學習與老人家互動，並體會為他人付出關懷的那一份感動。