KATRINA BOGUSKI
Staff Reporter
Barry’s Bay – There is something about the local seniors’ population here that makes them seem like the cast of Cocoon. For those readers too young to remember this 1985 film directed by Ron Howard, it involves a group of seniors who stumble upon cocoons left behind by aliens. The cocoons were found in the ocean and eventually transferred to a swimming pool. Some mischievous seniors break into the pool and have their vigor and youthfulness restored by having come in contact with the cocoons. Themes about age being a state of mind pervade the movie.
Like the cast of Cocoon, large numbers of our seniors seem to defy the aging process and are more full of life than many twenty year olds. However, at the beginning of the pandemic, many hearts were gripped with fear over how the virus would impact our older loved ones. Even a healthy senior in good spirits could be at extreme risk. Those who took on extra precautions throughout the pandemic often did so knowing there was a senior they wanted to protect and keep alive.
Protecting seniors meant tough choices for many families and isolation was an unfortunate consequence of the precautions people took. As we emerge from the crisis and look forward to spending more time with the people we care about, many people are becoming cautiously optimistic that the worst of the social isolation is
behind us.
Some consciously have decided to continue with the slower pace of life the pandemic’s tempo made us follow and as a result have changed some of their priorities. People are doing more than just slowing down to smell the roses; they are slowing down to share the roses and other flowers with seniors. This small gesture is a tangible way to show our older citizens how important they are to us.
One of the inspiring individuals who is improving the lives of seniors is Jenna Stamplicoski; she is the go-getter behind the project “Flowers for Seniors.” The Valley Gazette reached out to Stamplicoski on short notice to find out more about her initiative and she enthusiastically replied with answers to our questions.
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