Overview

The growing issue of loneliness amongst the retired senior citizen community has had significant adverse effects on their short and long-term health, as well as their ability to contribute to society as a whole. As more and more retirees end up in retirement homes or their spouses  pass away, they begin to fall into despair and loneliness due to lack of stimulating social and physical activities. As a result, both their mental and physical health deteriorate at a significantly increasing rate.  We observed this first hand with Jordan's grandmother Francis (aka Shirley). Due to the safety restrictions caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, she fell into moments of despair from being isolated from her loved ones for so long.  This caused her to become increasingly depressed, physically inactive, and ill. She later passed away in August 2021, alone in a hospital away from friends and family. Just days prior, she incessantly asked to be with her great grandkids after not seeing them for over a year. After that experience, we decided to start this organization in her memory. 

A Problem That Has Direct Impact On Lives

According to consumeraffairs.com, “The COVID-19 pandemic created shutdowns, stay-at-home orders and event hiatuses. Though few of us were unaffected by the impacts, it seems some demographics may have experienced higher levels of loneliness due to social isolation than others.  28 % of seniors live alone, totaling more than 14.7 million people (5 million men and 9.7 million women). Loneliness and social isolation increase the risk of dementia by 50%"*

*https://www.consumeraffairs.com/health/elderly-loneliness-statistics.html

“Before the pandemic, 1 in 4 people older than 65 experienced social isolation, putting them at greater risk of loneliness, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control. The exact number of seniors who feel lonely is difficult to pinpoint, but one study surveyed adults over 60 and found 43% of respondents felt lonely.  These feelings of loneliness were exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. A University of Michigan poll found 56% of adults 50 to 80 reported feelings of isolation in June 2020. Though the survey included respondents below the senior age range, it demonstrated a stark contrast to reported feelings of loneliness in 2018, when 27% of respondents reported feelings of isolation” (Rubin, 2023).  

“The COVID-19 pandemic is causing untold fear and suffering for older people across the world. As of 26 April, the virus itself has already taken the lives of some 193,710 people¹, and fatality rates for those over 80 years of age is five times the global average.² As the virus spreads rapidly to developing countries, likely overwhelming health and social protection systems, the mortality rate for older persons could climb even higher. Less visible but no less worrisome are the broader effects: health care denied for conditions unrelated to COVID-19; neglect and abuse in institutions and care facilities; an increase in poverty and unemployment; the dramatic impact on well-being and mental health; and the trauma of stigma and discrimination… Vulnerability and neglect: Some older people face additional vulnerabilities at this time. The spread of COVID-19 in care homes and institutions is taking a devastating toll on older people’s lives, with distressing reports indicating instances of neglect or mistreatment. Older persons who are quarantined or locked down with family members or caregivers may also face higher risks of violence, abuse, and neglect. Older persons living in precarious conditions – such as refugee camps, informal settlements and prisons – are particularly at risk, due to overcrowded conditions, limited access to health services, water and sanitation facilities, as well as potential challenges accessing humanitarian support and assistance. Furthermore, older persons are also often among the caregivers responding to the pandemic, increasing their risk of exposure to the virus. This is particularly true of older home-based carers, the vast majority of them women, who provide care for older persons, especially in contexts where health systems and long-term care provision are weak” (United Nations, 2020).

 

* New Report Shows Impact of COVID-19 on Older Adults and Their Caregivers. (2021, February 10). CDC Foundation. https://www.cdcfoundation.org/blog/new-report-shows-impact-covid-19-older-adults-and-their-caregivers

* Rubin, E. (2023, January 19). Adults report feeling more isolated in 2021. ConsumerAffairs. https://www.consumeraffairs.com/health/elderly-loneliness-statistics.html

* United Nations. (2020, May). The Impact of COVID-19 on older persons. unsdg.un.org. https://unsdg.un.org/sites/default/files/2020-05/Policy-Brief-The-Impact-of-COVID-19-on-Older-Persons.pdf

Our Solution

Our Future's Past has two major goals in mind to help address the issues mentioned above: 1. Provide senior citizens unique social events within their communities that will stimulate both their mental and physical well-being; 2. Engage younger volunteers to participate and contribute to these events in order to develop an appreciation for the rich knowledge and wisdom offered to them through these social engagements with senior citizens. This will enable the younger generations to learn about the interesting life experiences and life lessons of these unique individuals in ways they would most likely not be exposed to as part of their daily lives.

We aim to address the dilemma of loneliness many retired senior citizens experience on a regular basis.  We plan to accomplish this by offering community based creative events with local volunteers that are at no cost for those in the senior citizen community.  Our goal is to improve their physical, emotional, and mental health through these socially engaging events and to encourage younger generations to make serving this community a lifetime priority.  Our mission is to serve the human dignity of senior citizens across the United States by:

  • Organizing fun and unique events that both Senior Citizens and adolescent, preteen, and teenage volunteers can enjoy
  • Working with Senior Citizen Centers to find ways we can help meet the social needs of their residents and improve their social lives
  • Finding products that can be leveraged and will help preserve the knowledge, history, and experiences of those in the Senior Citizen community 
  • Getting younger generations engaged in volunteer events that focus on serving the needs of Senior Citizen, especially those in retirement homes

 

Our Roadmap Vision:

 YEAR 1 - Provide Services and Events to Senior Living Center Communities within the Anne Arundel County area in Maryland

 YEAR 4 - Expand Services and Support to surrounding counties near Anne Arundel with support from local volunteers 

 YEAR 6+ - Expand Services and Support to all counties in Maryland through locally chartered independent chapters