The Impact of Community: a reflection by MSW Intern Mike
In celebration of the end of Social Work month, Mike West reflects on the impact of the VSC on older adults and the personal connection he has to the work in creating virtual connections amongst our older adult community members.
My grandmother volunteered as a secretary for the rabbi at her synagogue well into her late 80s. She had been a legal secretary for 30 years prior to working at the synagogue and retired from paid work when the lawyer who employed her retired. This work was an integral part of her identity. It kept her active, social, and intellectually curious. She needed to stay involved and filled those needs by spending several hours of her day a couple days a week helping the rabbi with his paperwork. She stopped only when the rabbi realized her age and did what he thought was the kind and generous thing to do: encouraged her to fully retire. Unfortunately, she struggled with this. Her friends had begun to pass on, leaving her bored and lonely. She no longer had a reason to leave the apartment and became increasingly frail. She was fortunate enough to experience 96 well-lived years. But the quality of life was diminished by feelings of isolation.
My grandmother died around the time the VSC was getting started. As a woman who refused digital technology, she would have resisted joining. But for so many members of the VSC, who are brave enough to wade into the unfamiliar waters of technology, this virtual space has become much more meaningful and real than “virtual” suggests. It has become a location for engagement, a center for socializing, a community that nurtures well-being.
The beauty of the VSC is that it is a tool of empowerment. From a social work perspective, it’s effective because it enables and empowers attributes that are already present in our members. For older adults who want to remain active and engage in a community that supports and nurtures social drives and curious minds, the VSC creates a space for this to happen. Our community members want to be part of a community. The VSC platform enables this. Our members want to feed their intellectual curiosity. Our facilitators enable this. Our members want to remain active in mind, body, and soul. The VSC provides the space and opportunities to support this.
For so many of our older adults the realities of our atomized society cause isolation. Once the car is gone, when friends begin to pass, when jobs are retired from, these barriers to living life fully, if not addressed, can lead to a diminished final chapter in life. The pandemic accelerated this reality, forcing our members to live with additional isolation to protect their health. Social workers need tools to address barriers that prevent their clients from living fully. The VSC is an example of such a tool. As a social worker, I am grateful for this platform, this community of volunteers and members that has created this space where older adults can flourish as other opportunities recede.
Perhaps what has been the most awakening to me is realizing that this community is self-actualized. The VSC staff and facilitators provide the tools, the location, the structure for this community. It is the membership who flesh out the skeleton, breathe life and character into this community. When I lead a class it is the curious minds and engaged souls who make it fun, interesting, and welcoming. For this I am grateful.
Interested in joining or inviting a loved one to be part of the VSC Community? Please reach out to us at vsc@selfhelp.net or learn more here on our website. We have opportunities for groups (i.e.: senior centers, homecare organizations, etc.) to join as well.
We also welcome anyone of all ages who is interested in volunteering to facilitate a class. Interested in learning more? Please see here and fill out our interest form.
Michael West, MSW Intern (2021-2022)
Michael West is an intern at the VSC from SUNY Albany. He teaches a class on cooking and helps out with various projects. He came to the VSC after working with children and families at a foster care agency. Before that he was a professional chef in Boston and then operated his own farm and catering business in upstate NY. He lives on a farm with his wife, dog, pigs, goat, chickens and cats. He enjoys hiking, biking and gardening.