What Do Our Elders Teach Us?

Ask anyone who lives or works in a Grandma's House of Hope home, and they'll tell you: some of the best teachers here don't have a job title.  They're the seniors at the kitchen table, the ones who've seen enough of life to know what matters.  Here are a few of the lessons they share every day.

1. Start where you are.Many of our seniors began again at an age when most people are winding down.  They know firsthand that a new chapter doesn't care how old you are.  For younger housemates who feel it's too late to change, that example speaks louder than any advice.

"I was 68 and sleeping in my car.  I figured that was the end of my story.  Turns out it was just a hard chapter."  - Veronica

2. Show up for each other.Our elders are often the first to notice when someone is having a hard day.  They knock on the door, pour the coffee, and sit a while.  They remember birthdays.  They ask the second question.

"My first week, I barely came out of my room.  Miss Linda kept leaving a plate outside my door until I finally sat down to eat with her.  She never gave up on me." - Stephanie

3. Take care of the home, and it takes care of you.Whether it's tending a garden, cooking a Sunday meal, or teaching someone how to fold a fitted sheet, our seniors bring a sense of rhythm and pride to the houses they live in.  Those small routines turn a residence into a home.

"I've cooked for a family my whole life.  Now I've got a new one.  Sunday dinner is mine, and nobody leaves hungry."  - Tara, 60

4. Laugh anyway.Our seniors have weathered losses most of us can't imagine.  Many have come through it with their sense of humor intact, and they share it generously.  A well-timed joke at the dinner table can lift a whole house.

"At my age, you learn you can cry about it or laugh about it.  Laughing burns more calories." - Linda, 66

5. Nobody gets through life alone.This may be the lesson they teach best, because they've lived both sides of it. They know what isolation feels like, and they know what it means to be welcomed back into a family.  So they pass that welcome on.

"When I lost my husband, I lost everybody.  I didn't think anyone would ever care whether I woke up in the morning.  Here, somebody always does. Now I make sure the new ones know that too." - Margaret, 71

Learning From Each Other

In a house named for a grandmother, it makes sense that our elders help set the tone.  Every day, they remind staff and housemates alike that wisdom, kindness, and grit don't age out.

Want to honor the elders in our homes? A gift in the name of a grandparent or mentor who shaped your life helps a senior find a home and a family.