Wisdom will be available at a Green Bench - at The Centre - Monday noon to 2:00 pm

eventspink 100x100By Staff

June 14th, 2019

BURLINGTON, ON

 

The operators of the Schlegel Villages, long term care and retirement homes, are doing their part to put an end to ageism.

green bench

The Elder Wisdom bench – at entrance #5 Burlington Centre

They have come up with a unique idea – set benches out and invite people to spend some time with a senior to talk about their experiences.
They use benches painted in a signature green and putting them out in very public places.

The program is called Elder Wisdom – they use the hash tag #ElderWisdom and will be visiting the Burlington Centre (was once called the Burlington Mall) on Monday June 17th from noon to 2:00 pm.

Seniors from The Village of Tansley Woods will be at the Centre with the green #ElderWisdom bench to share in conversations with the Burlington community.

#ElderWisdom is a social awareness campaign aimed at highlighting senior wisdom and contribution in our communities in hopes to honour the wisdom of the elder, end ageism.

Ageism is a form of discrimination, often experienced by seniors. Our elders have a great deal of wisdom to contribute to their communities. However, societal norms marginalize seniors, treat them with disrespect, make them feel unwelcome and generalize as if they were all the same.

Elder - cop

Wisdom moving from the senior to a senior police officer.

Examples:
• comedians and talk show hosts joke about seniors and memory loss;
• doctors often talk past the senior patient to an adult child as if the senior wasn’t even in the room and
• younger adults mock seniors for being ‘slow’.

Ageism robs seniors of choice, independence, dignity and negatively impacts their quality of life.

It’s an interesting approach to a problem that limits the degree to which seniors can be active participants in the growth and well being of their communities.

Burlington Centre – June 17th noon to 2:00 pm

The green bench will be at entrance number 5.

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