Week 1

WEEK 1

Jerry Sealin is quite the character. Although Alrik and I have not met him yet he was extremely excited to speak with us on the phone and set up our first meeting! As we had Jerry on speaker, which might of played a factor in why he called Alrik, "OHLRIG" he was glad to meet us. As we tried to figure out what schedule best suits the group Jerry was very adaptable. I could clearly see that he really values Little Brothers and does not want to miss out on hanging out with us. As we listened to his current medical situation, we knew he was not to happy about going to see the doctor. Alrik and I asked if there was anything we could do and thoroughly explained that we are willing to do what ever suits him best. Jerry seems like a happy guy that really loves what Little Brothers sets out to accomplish. I am very excited to meet him and learn about his life as we tell him about ours. As for our first meeting Jerry has requested that we bring Dunkin'... apparently he loves it. I am looking forward to sharing stories and establishing the relationship over a cup of coffee next thursday with Jerry and Alrik. 

Until next week,

Dylan 

Week 1

Unfortunately, Dylan and I have not met our elder, Jerry, yet. However, we did have the pleasure of speaking with him on the phone yesterday after class. At first he sounded bewildered, and maybe even a little annoyed, to be receiving a call from a random "Dylan" and some stranger named "Olrog" (as he pronounced). Yet to our surprise, once he discovered it was his new friends from Little Brothers he livened up and became excited immediately. From this point on it was difficult to squeeze a word in between his various stories and updates concerning his medical health. Before this contact was made, I was nervous that it may be difficult to keep a constant conversation going during our home visits and could result in many awkward silences. Now that I am aware of Jerry's super power (small talk/story telling), my fear has disappeared. I apologize for summarizing but I felt that the context was necessary.  On a more serious note, I am beyond excited to be working with Little Brothers and can't wait to learn from Jerry's stories and experiences. This class has given me a new perspective on the elderly and their worth in our society. It is a shame that we take their wisdom and other resources for granted. During this experience, I hope that I can be receptive to and thereby capitalize on Jerry's wisdom. After the experience, I plan to continue seeking advice and wisdom from this particular demographic.

Thanks for reading,

Alrik