Aging in an atmosphere of respect

I grew up in the hard coal country of northeast Pennsylvania. We were a noisy, happy Italian family whose ancestors came to Ellis Island. We respected and valued our elders for their wisdom, experience and years, always paying close attention to the lessons they shared with us.

This is what led me to become involved with the Nassau County Council on Aging. Mom was very involved with a similar organization, and she was my role model. Serving on the Board provided me with the opportunity to engage with various departments, ultimately connecting me to The Club, a program dedicated to supporting clients experiencing memory challenges and offering their caregivers essential respite.  

The program includes live music, crafts, birthdays, art, therapies and more, with staff whose loving care put smiles on the faces of our clients. Dancing is such a joy for them! Members of The Club become active and engaged with the encouragement of the staff, and this is always so heartening to see. In addition, planned outings for caregivers and members are a wonderful way of combining socialization with fun.

The staff members, including the manager, display compassion and kindness that is something truly worth emulating. Respect for our aging population gave me heart. It is obvious by the smiles and happiness of the members of The Club that they appreciate this respect. Promoting each member’s self-worth is crucial, and I saw this on a daily basis when I was involved in the program.  

This program and the organization of the Nassau County Council on Aging continue to inspire me to spread compassion and kindness.

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Barb Gingher is a 25-year resident of Fernandina Beach. Dr. Gingher retired in 2017 from Baptist Medical Center Nassau, where she served as Nurse Executive. She has been associated with the Council on Aging since 2006 in several volunteer capacities. She is a member of the non-profit organization Compassionate Fernandina.  The organization's vision is "a community in which we treat each other and Earth with kindness, dignity, and respect;" and the mission is "to widen the circle of compassion through practical, intentional actions." The city of Fernandina Beach issued a proclamation in 2017 and endorsed the principles of Compassionate Fernandina, joining forces with the organization "to promote compassionate actions throughout the city and to make compassion a clear and dynamic force in our world."

Others in the community are invited to share their stories of kindness and compassion. If you have a story you'd like to share here in the Fernandina Observer - about a neighbor or friend or business that showed you kindness - please contact Peggie Weeks at pegweeks@gmail.com