Sit down next to an elder and strike up a conversation, and there will likely be a transfer of wisdom from older to younger.
That is the impetus behind Schlegel Villages’ #Elderwisdom Green Bench campaign to celebrate Seniors Month. The wisdom, the knowledge and the insights seniors possess ought to be shared and shared widely.
The bench will be set up in St. George’s Square in downtown Guelph next Tuesday, June 14 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Former Guelph Mayor Norm Jary, alone with one other senior will be among the wise. June is Seniors Month.
Ted Mahy is Schlegel’s online engagement manager. Schlegel Village runs 16 long-term care and retirement facilities in Ontario, serving 3,000 seniors. Mahy said the life experience of those seniors gives them important insights and knowledge that deserves to be heard.
“We’ve got a green bench, in a catchy colour so people can see it, and we’ve put the hashtag #Elderwisdom right on it,” Mahy said. “Our goal is to get a whole bunch of social media influencers tweeting, Instagramming and Facebooking with that hashtag, and talking about seniors in a positive light.”
Ageism is an engrained pattern in society – a form of discrimination that is especially focused on seniors. That age group has much wisdom to contribute but they are too often marginalized, disrespected and unwelcome, according to promotional material at www.elderwisdom.ca.
Discrimination on the basis of age robs seniors of choice, independence and dignity, and can diminish their quality of life.
The actual green bench is currently on a province-wide tour, with stops wherever Schlegel has seniors’ villages. It is in Toronto, Kitchener, Windsor, London and elsewhere this week.
“Our goal is to get Schlegel Village residents engaged in their communities and in social media,” Mahy said. “It’s about creating opportunities that allow our residents to be more actively engaged in their community, giving them a chance to have those conversations with key people in the community.”
He added that learning about social media helps keep seniors actively engaged and sharing what they know.
“We’re bringing that technology into our villages using Skype and Facetime,” he said.
Schlegel Villages invites the public to visit the green bench on Tuesday, to have a seat and share wisdom. They ask that participants share that wisdom on social media using the hashtag. Schlegel has two residences in Guelph, The Village of Arbour Trails, and The Village of Riverside Glen.
