Throughout my internship with Lori’s hands, I have noticed that many of my clients have family members who live hours of driving or even a plane ride away. This travel can be difficult for any older individual, especially those who suffer from chronic illness.
What makes Lori’s Hands such a special organization is that volunteers provide seemingly simple tasks that are usually not available through other programs. Just a couple of hours a week of grocery shopping, organizing, or even just sitting down and getting to know the individual you are helping can make a world of difference for both parties.
One of my clients in particular always speaks so highly of her son and her grandchildren. Her house is flooded with pictures, paintings, and sculptures of them that she has created. Unfortunately, they do not live in the area and she does not get to see them very often. Her son is always telling her important questions to ask my partner and me when we come to visit. We have helped her install navigation apps on her phone so she knows where she is going, helped her post to Facebook so she can stay in touch with friends and family, and so on. These little lessons are so helpful when a phone call from her son is not able to give her a full understanding of whatever it is that she is trying to learn.
Going into this experience, I never could have known what an impact it would have on me. My grandmother lives a 12-hour drive away, and luckily she has other relatives nearby to help her with household tasks, or to just keep her company. However, if this was not the case, I know that a program such as Lori’s Hands would be an invaluable asset to her. Having the reassurance that your loved ones can get a little extra help here and there is worth its weight in gold.
Jessica Hall
University of Delaware, ’20
Psychology Major, Sociology & Women’s Studies Minors
