For years, our members have been telling us that coming to the VNSNY CHOICE Adult Day Center “makes them feel better.” We decided to dig deeper and find out exactly how it helps them. We had a great discussion and they shared with us how coming to the center, socializing with friends and staff (their second family) and keeping busy with activities improves the quality of their day-to-day lives and helps them focus on the positive.
Ms. S. told us that she woke up last week and didn’t feel like coming to the Center. When she called to cancel and heard the staff member”s caring voice on the phone, she “felt the love,” and it made her feel so good, that it motivated her to leave her house and come out for the day. She told us, “Love is a powerful feeling” – it changed how she felt emotionally and physically. She said the next time she doesn’t feel well, she will hold onto that positive feeling to get her through the pain and remember to participate in life.
Here are some of our members’ thought-provoking words on how the power of positive thinking and connections with others helps them fight through the challenges of illness and aging:
- “When I feel humanity, comfort and support, it helps the pain go away.”
- “When I’m home, I’m alone, depressed and in pain – coming here, to my new home, has revived me and makes me feel alive again.”
- “I have free casino online speech at the center and that makes me feel positive and powerful.”
- “When I feel sick, I think in my head, “I feel good and I am loved,” and it helps the pain go away.”
- “My memory has improved since I started keeping busy in activities at the Center – that makes me feel positive that I can still get better!”
- “What I thought I could never do, I found out at age 85 that I can do! Makes me feel proud and positive, and my body really feels better.”
- “Being around people with positive energy helps me stay positive.”
- “My children noticed that I have a lot more energy since coming to the Center.”
- “When I leave my house in the morning, I have a lot of pain. Then, the bus picks me up and we have so much fun on the bus that by the time I get to the Center, I feel relaxed and my pain is gone!”
It”s so inspiring that our seniors are open to meeting new people, having new experiences and trying different activities. Clearly, for our members, the mind-body connection has a positive effect that carries through to improve their lives.
