Trip #6: Warren Park Health & Living Center

On Thursday, January 21, students from our class went to the Warren Park Health & Living Center. Residents at this community live with different disabilities, including mental and psychological challenges. The staff at the center invited residents down to an activities room, and our students spent an hour and a half playing games and conversing with residents. Here are some thoughts from Brittany Bejabeng, Laura Gaerditz, and Catalina Tueros...

Brittany Bejabeng

Last week, my class and I went to visit at the Warren Park Health and Living Center. This facility helps to provide for those who cannot stabilize mentally or physically on their own. About 90% of the men and women there do not receive any mail or source of communication from family or friends. They are housed at this facility and care is provided for them such as a warm environment, food, clothing, and activities. Taking the time observe the patients admitted there and also getting the privilege to hear their stories touched and inspired me personally. Some people had mental disabilities and struggled to comprehend me when I spoke to them, and I feel as though the reason for some of their struggle is because they were neglected at a time of need or faced some form of trauma, which broke my heart to see and hear.

Based off of the social aspects of things at Warren Park Health Center, many are marginalized, neglected, and exempt because they aren’t seen as worthy or desirable. That mentality should be pushed down and should not be the view in society. These are people with voices that cannot be heard because we don’t give them that chance. For a place you would think would be considered depressing, I found the environment to be lively and encouraging. The staff members there were so close to the patients, and their emotions, behaviors, and actions showed they cared very much. There were no lines drawn to say that I am better than you or you are less of a person than I am. They showed they were equal.

Christ calls us to love and be mindful of every single person as our brother or sister. Solidarity involves us uniting in mutual agreement or support. Service should be performed with and not for because we are not better than they are. We are all equal. We should form relationships and not be strangers to one another. In my perspective we need to humble and distinguish our pride because pride is okay to possess but when that quality is abused or misused then it is no longer attractive or valuable.

Being humans we have all somewhat felt marginalized in some aspect - for example, appearance, culture, beliefs, religion, disabilities, etc. In my eyes, we have all been marginalized in some way. There is no you are better than I am, but this is how society is. God created us all differently, and our problem today is that we don’t know how to accept diversity. That’s what makes this world corrupt. We should strive to be better. God would call us to love and care for each other. We are all different in some form and that's completely okay. If we were all the same, then it would boring. There would be nothing to learn from in my opinion. Life is gift and a privilege and all you can do is cherish and embrace it not take it and destroy it.

I always thought the saying, “One person can make a change for the world,” was dumb and not reasonable, but I now think it’s the most reasonable and believable saying I have heard. One person who makes the move to advocate is wise and knowledgeable, rather than just being one who sits and watches. We can learn to pray and ask God for that spirit of motivation to act upon this and be better.

Valentina Cordero

Last week, our class visited Warren Park Health and Living Center. As we entered the center, we divided into groups. Each person got the opportunity to talk to the people from this center. My friends and I met a young man. We soon realized that he had written the book that he held in his hands. He handed the book to us and as we read the foreword of the book, we discovered his world. His foreword answered all the questions we were scared to ask him. We discovered the reason why he was in this center and his disability. Just like majority of the patients, he faced a crisis in his life. He had suffered from a traumatic brain injury in a motorcycle accident that put him in a coma. With his family’s faith in God, he opened his eyes and woke up from the coma on the day of his father’s birthday. His story amazed me and was a huge inspiration to me because he told me to always have faith in God. My friends and I began to read his book Walk with Me. Through this book we got to discover him and his inner feelings. I enjoyed reading his poems because I got to know how he truly feels in the inside. He then realized how much I admired his work that he gave me his book and told me to never lose faith in God.

Through my experience at Warren Park Health and Living Center I realized that centers like Warren Park are located universally. The mentally disabled are put in centers like Warren Park in order for them to receive the attention they deserve and need. It is good that there are places where they could receive them. In cases where the a mentally disabled person does not have any family member to take care of him/her, centers for them are located universally to help patients in need.

By analyzing my experience through the economic angle, I discovered that centers like Warren Park are very dependent on the government to continue running. The government owns and has the money  as the government is what funds public centers for the mentally disabled. Warren Park’s employees and its patients are very dependent on the government. The government has all the power to allow these centers to continue running. Without the government’s assistance, there would not be places where the mentally disabled could go to receive aid and medical help.

Through reflecting this experience at Warren Park, the Bible passage that reminds me of this situation is 1 John 5:4, “For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world... And this is the victory that has overcome the world – our faith.” The patient from Warren Park who I met is a great example of how everything is possible if we believe and have faith in God. His story served as a lesson to me. It helped me realize that we should never lose faith in God, because with that faith everything and anything is possible. God allowed him to wake up from his coma and has been by his side always protecting him.

By connecting my faith, my life experiences, and my emotional reaction in the visit to Warren Park, I feel really glad I got to visit a mentally disabled center. I enjoyed every part of it because I got so much out of this experience. My friend served as a great inspiration to me. He helped me realize that anything could happen in this world and to not take anything or anyone for granted. God never puts obstacles in our path that he does not believe we can not overcome. My friend is a strong, intelligent, and brave man that did not let his accident be the end of his life. He continues to do what he loves, writing poetry.

I am very glad Warren Park helps the mentally disabled who can not take care of themselves or do not have anyone that could take care of them. I believe that what this society could attempt to do is to not isolate them and stop making them believe they are not normal. I understand that they need medical aid from a special center, but I believe we can all attempt to go to centers like Warren Park to educate ourselves about the people who are mentally disabled in order to better understand their needs and to not be scared of their disabilities.

Catalina Tueros

As a nation it is crucial for us to unite as one within our society. All lives are significant and matter. Humanity has lost sight of the fact that everyone is granted dignity and a right to life. The mentally ill have no longer had the right to life in our society. They continue to face discrimination and are marginalized. In this week’s service trip, my classmates and I were able to visit Warren Park Health and Living Center. It is a living center that helps provide housing to those who suffer from mental illnesses. During our visit, we were able to meet some of the residents and have some fun by playing games. I was able to learn so much about the residents I was paired up with. It was truly a life changing experience for me. I was able to meet people who were truly amazing and intelligent. I was able to hold conversations that allowed me to reflect upon my own personal life. I will never forget the words, “keep the faith alive.” I intend to live this out forever. The world deserves to see how amazing these people are. They deserve the right to dignity.

The mentally ill are neglected and hurt within society. They are perceived as incapable and unable. Their voices are stripped away, and they are forever overshadowed. There is no pride or gratitude granted to the mentally ill. They are not benefiting from the treatment of society. They are often forgotten by family members, society, and the government. This is truly a universal issue. The mentally ill are hushed by the world. They are marginalized because of the negative perceptions placed upon them. They are seen as weak and unable because of their illness. Overall, they are still people who are apart of our communities and they should be heard. They are truly amazing people who view life differently than the rest of us. They are judged because of these differences. The media today sheds some light on the negative aspects of these illnesses but never shines the light on the particular person. Many people in our world fear the unknown rather than embrace it.

Political figures are able to make decisions that can either include or exclude the needs of these people. The mentally ill are dependent on the decisions that are made. The mentally ill are left out socially. There are very few relationships built because of the negativity placed upon the mentally ill. In history, the mentally ill have always been the outcasts of our society. Their conditions were always misinterpreted and this made the people fear them. They were often misunderstood and pushed aside. These beliefs are taught to future generations who continue the horrible pattern. These influences affect behavior by allowing the people to mistreat and marginalize the mentally ill. They are no longer considered in society because of their disabilities.

The idea of acceptance can be related to various bible stories, such as Romans 12:22. God is accepting of the people as they were. He encouraged the people to not conform to society's words or beliefs but to have faith in him. God is able to love his people and inspire them to have integrity in an ever changing world. This idea ties into the theme of Solidarity. Christ calls us to respond by being mindful of all people and to view them as brothers or sisters. The mentally ill should be seen as our brothers and sisters regardless of who they are. We are all created in God’s likeness. They deserve to be treated as equals within our society. Their disabilities should not give the public the right to place labels upon their lives. The public deserves to be educated so they can better understand the mentally ill. I believe that everyone, including the mentally ill, have so much to offer in different ways. Their lives still matter, regardless of who they are in this world. It is unjust to place chains around those we do not fully understand. I can relate to the marginalized because I am often unheard within my society because I am seen as young. My ideas and beliefs are not accounted for. I believe Christ would want us to come together as one. I believe that these differences should not create borders in our society. 

We may bridge the gap between social reality and what we hope for by advocating for these people. We can reasonably attempt to donate to local centers that help support the mentally ill. The more people who are educated within our society, the more understanding we will have. Political leaders and the media can also help shed light on the issue by using their power to help create a positive influence. More centers should also be funded and created due to the amount of people who need the help within the community.  The mentally ill deserve a voice within our society. There are so many things we are able to learn from them. We are able to see life differently and view life through their eyes. We must learn to appreciate life and learn how to lift the nation rather than tear it down.

Note: Minor grammar/style edits have been made to each post not affecting the content or perspective of these students.

Trip #5: Catholic Charities North Center Senior Satellite Center

On Thursday, January 14, students from our class walked down the street to the Catholic Charities North Center Senior Satellite Center. We shared a free-time afternoon with them, geared toward stimulating motor function and brain activity - in other words, we had some game-time! Students spent a few hours with the seniors shooting pool, and playing games like checkers, cards, Monopoly, and Yahtzee! These seniors are a mix of residents on the campus of housing that surrounds the center and other seniors who live in the city. The center is geared toward providing social opportunities for seniors to enjoy. Here are some thoughts from Brittany Bejabeng, Laura Gaerditz, and Catalina Tueros...

Brittany Bejabeng

Last Thursday, the class took a trip to a Catholic Charities North Center Senior Satellite Center to visit elderly people in that community. Based off of my observations and my interaction with the people there, they seem very well put together as a whole. Most of the men and women there were around their mid-sixties or early seventies. There were all able to communicate in some way, either through English or Spanish. My first impression walking in there was that they were a tightly knit community that was surrounded by enthusiasm and diversity.

Elderly people usually face some form of discrimination because of their physical limits in society. There are placed in the corner and seen as incapable to themselves and to others. Yes, as we get older in some way we are don’t maintain the same strengths as we did in our youth, but ageism should not affect our impression of people’s abilities unless they give you a reason to be concerned. Ageism is the prejudice or discrimination on the basis of a person's age and because of this today some senior citizens feel marginalized. Part of society views them as incapable, so our mentality has been to perceive it that way.

James 2:2-4 says, “For if a man wearing a gold ring and fine clothing comes into your assembly, and a poor man in shabby clothing also comes in, and if you pay attention to the one who wears the fine clothing and say, 'You sit here in a good place,' while you say to the poor man, 'You stand over there,' or, 'Sit down at my feet,' have you not then made distinctions among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts?” Based off of this bible passage, we as people should not discriminate based on appearance and structural ability. Yes, judgements can be made, but a person should have the opportunity to be capable and to test their own ability.

God calls us to love one another and to treat others the way you would like to be treated. Reading articles about marginalized groups, visiting senior homes, and reflecting on this topic has personally allowed me to see how that it can somewhat be hard living in a society that sees you as weak, unresponsive, needy, or dependent. Though some of these things may be true on their behalf, senior citizens are pushed to the end of society because some see them as useless. We all will age one day so instead of criticizing or marginalizing them, we should assist in providing for them. It is our turn to give back. Christ would ask for us to help in assisting one another and to not see each other as different creations of the world.

Laura Gaerditz

Going to the Catholic Charities North Center Senior Satellite Center was an entirely different experience from going to the nursing home. For one, these men and women are in much better health. Secondly, more than half of them aren’t living there. They were much happier and eager to socialize with us! When we went on our field trip, we each broke into groups and played a board game, which in my group's case was Monopoly.

These men and women are so blessed to have a community center like this available to them. It’s wonderful that this is open to everyone. Being older, they probably don’t get out as much anymore, so this is a great place for them to socialize with one another. Sr. Helen, from our parish, explained to us that the goal of the Daughters of Charity, her religious community, is to aid the poor. But in this case it wasn’t poverty money-wise; in this case it meant that elderly people are often forgotten in society. This is a place where they can feel that they're a part of something.

“Even to your old age I will be the same, and even to your graying years I will bear you! I have done it, and I will carry you; And I will bear you and I will deliver you” (Isaiah 46:4). This reminds me of the Catholic Social Theme of Solidarity. These men and women weren’t as dependent on the community center as those people in the nursing home. The community center offered a space and games to play while the people came. They met halfway.

I had a great time at the community center. I’m not entirely sure how they feel, but if I was older I would be happy to have a place to go so I could be with other people. It was great to see all them so happy when we came. It really made my day. I wish there were even more centers like this one available to older people. I truly think that having this socialization in their lives is good for them.

Catalina Tueros

Society has turned a blind side to some of the most important people in our country, the elderly. The elderly hold the key to our history and can help develop our future. In today’s world, we tend to marginalize them and push them to the ends of society. In this week's service trip, my classmates and I were able to volunteer at the North Center Senior Satellite Center. It includes a fitness program that helps seniors become more active, helps the seniors to go on trips, have senior club meetings, and dance. I was able to to play games and get to know more about the seniors who who visited the center. I completely loved the experience. I was able to connect with them and even get some life advice from them. I learned so many new things. We heard similar stories and laughed the entire time. Through this experience I was able to unite with this marginalized group.

The seniors are neglected in our society. They are unaccounted for and are seen as weak and unable. The lack of respect is prevalent within today’s society. We forget that we are united and should work as a team rather than create borders for the people. No one is benefiting from circumstances like these. This is a universal issue that continues to plague our world. The elderly deserve a voice and should be heard. The elderly are excluded in society because of the negative perceptions placed upon them, which causes the people to marginalize them within society. Political leaders have the money and opportunity to shed light upon this social issue. The elderly are often dependent on the services the community has to offer them. There should be more local aid. Unfortunately, the majority of the elderly population are excluded during this process because of the negative perceptions. Society chooses to exclude the elderly and the future relationships that can be created never happen. The past perceptions of the elderly can affect the future by continuing this pattern of exclusion. The beliefs of the public can influence decisions made in society because the laws are created in favor of the people. The people’s beliefs can mold better decisions for the marginalized.

This issue can relate to various bible stories such as Genesis 24:1-10. In this story, Abraham was an elderly man, yet God was able to bless him in every way. The idea of aging is prevalent within this story because it is a part of life. It is a natural process that all must go through. It does not make one less able. It allows us to grow and become wise through our own personal experiences. A Catholic Social Teaching theme that is relevant here is solidarity. Christ calls us to respond by being mindful of all people and to view them as brothers or sisters. The elderly should be seen as equal regardless of their state in life. I believe that we are all created to be united in solidarity. As people, we should choose to uplift one another rather than exclude them. We are all equal in the eyes of God. There are so many things to be learned that we have not yet understood. The elderly hold wisdom and understand the trials and tribulations of life. Their insight can be helpful. They should have a say within the community and around the world. It is unjust to take away these rights from them. Christ would expect us to come together as brother and sisters in unity. We are all created in His likeness and the judgment should no longer be placed upon this group of people. I believe that Christ would wants us to work together in order to end this division that we have in the world. I am able to identify with the elderly because my voice is often unheard due to my age. My opinions and ideas are not taken into consideration. There should be more unity between the people by including the elderly and speaking to them. There is so much to be learned.

We may bridge the gap between social reality and what we hope for by providing more assistance to the elderly. We may help contribute by donating some of our funds to help build local centers around the city that allow the elderly to be united within society rather than excluded. We may also simply volunteer at a senior home and learn more about them by a simple conversation. Political leaders and the media can also shed light upon this issue due to their large following. The more emphasis placed upon this issue will help others realize that the elderly deserve a say.

The elderly in this nation hold the key to our infinite history and may have the answers to our future. It is up to us to help unite the people in solidarity and to help advocate for the marginalized. It is ultimately up to us to give back to the elderly for all that they have done for society. As a nation, we hold the power to rise above.

Note: Minor grammar/style edits have been made to each post not affecting the content or perspective of these students.

Trip #4: Chicagoland Methodist Senior Services

On Wednesday, January 6, students from our class visited the Chicagoland Methodist Senior Services facility on Foster Ave. We collaborated with their activities department to match seniors (high school students) to seniors (elderly residents) for an art activity. Starting from a conversation/interview led by the student, the seniors and seniors got to know each other for a few minutes. Then, each pair received a shadowbox and had access to a buffet of arts-and-crafts materials. The students then helped their resident construct a shadowbox that reflected the residents' interests, hobbies, memories, etc., and many students even added a little something to symbolize themselves.

In case you need a refresher, here's the link to our first post explaining what is posted to the blog. And without further adieu, here are some thoughts from Bryan Padilla and Brittany Camana on their experience with their new elderly friends...

Bryan Padilla 

My class and I got the opportunity to interact with some elderly people at the Chicagoland Methodist Senior Services Home. At the home, we made shadow boxes with the elderly. The elderly are a marginalized group that is often seen, but left alone or cast to the side. Old age is something that people all around the world have had to deal with. With old age often comes disabilities and mental degradation, and these ailments can be burdensome to the elderly’s families. Often, in the western world, our elderly are put in nursing facilities where they can be marginalized by their family as well as society.

This idea of the elderly's being marginalized can be attributed to the family structure in the modern-day or western world. There are very few senior homes or nursing facilities in developing nations or in times where traditional family structures were intact. In such countries or times, the elderly are/were kept at home where it is/was impossible to ignore them so that they would become marginalized. However, in modern day America, for example, when someone becomes elderly and perhaps burdensome, they are put in a nursing facility. While being away, they become forgotten.

In the Bible, we are called to be respectful with our elders. “Do not rebuke an older man, but appeal to him as a father. Treat younger men as brothers, older women as mothers, and younger women as sisters with complete purity” (1 Timothy 5:1-2). We are called to look towards our elderly as if they were our mothers and fathers (which in many cases they are.) Would we ever intentionally marginalize our mothers and fathers? Or choose to put them away? The Catholic Social teaching of the Call to Family, Community, and Participation is relevant here. This CST theme calls us to uphold the institutions of family and marriage. Family includes our eldest members.

As someone with a great deal of experience with elderly people, from a personal perspective, I feel especially connected to our service outing and the marginalized elderly people as a whole. Before my grandmother passed away in the summer of 2014, she had declined in health due to old age. Rather than putting her in a nursing facility, my family responded to God’s call - we kept her in our house to take care of her so that she was able to live the last of her days surrounded by her family.

Every elderly person was once a little infant; every elderly person is a human. If you have an elderly person in your life such as a family member or neighbor, try to do as Christ calls you to do and stay connected with them. By taking care of our elderly or perhaps visiting a nursing facility, we can make sure that these people are recognized and are not marginalized.

Brittany Camana

For this week’s service outing, our class went to the Chicagoland Methodist Senior Services. While there, each student, or possibly two, got paired up with a senior resident living there. As everyone was settled down and got their partner, each pair was getting to know each other. Most of the seniors had a hard time talking. My partner, Mary Louise, could barely talk, and when she did talk, her voice was so soft that I could barely hear her. However, I was able to hear some of her words and got to learn a lot about her. For example, I learned that she liked flowers, used to play volleyball, liked the colors green and pink, and lived in Chicago her whole life. I was then able to create a shadow box for her. I added a picture of Chicago, stickers of giraffes, a big red flower, and both of our initials (I wanted to include something so she could remember me) on top of a floral background. After I finished and handed the box to her, she smiled and her face was filled with gratitude and excitement.

First, society and seniors are involved in this situation. It seems as if seniors are being oppressed by society on a daily basis. Society never places any emphasis on living with the seniors or visiting them often or just taking care of them in general. Society sees it as something that family of the senior should do and it’s nobody else’s business to be interacting with them. However, they do benefit from living within the senior homes. For example, they can socialize with people around their same age for company, have someone to assist them medically, and have someone to cook and clean for them. On the downside though, their are many nursing homes that neglect and treat seniors horribly. They don’t clean after them, help bathe seniors who need assistance, or interact with them, instead seeing them as a bother. This needs to be addressed and handled and put out their more publicly than other news topics being brought up. This is happening predominantly in the United States but other countries also have senior homes as well. The majority of third-world countries would not be able to afford it but countries are coming up and creating places for seniors to live.

In Acts 20:35 it states, "In all things I have shown you that by working hard in this way we must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he himself said, 'It is more blessed to give than to receive.'" In other words, we should give back to the people who can't help themselves and should give more to others then expect to be given everything.

There is no obvious reason as to why this is happening since each situation varies. Sometimes, seniors live in senior homes because their relatives are busy working or sometimes relatives aren’t willing to take care of a senior. There are various reasons why each senior is sent to a senior home. However, they all come to the senior home because they need help being taken care of. As a society, we must come together and make this issue easier to see. Many of the elderly have disabilities that prevent them from expressing themselves. so we must go into their shoes and advocate for them since they cannot advocate for themselves.

Note: Minor grammar/style edits have been made to each post not affecting the content or perspective of these students.