Well folks, the holidays are over, the turkey’s all gone, and 2014 is in full throttle. So now what? I dare you to try something new—January is the perfect month for it. Think about becoming a mentor.
Senior citizens are a reservoir of knowledge and life experiences, and they make great mentors. Celebrate National Mentoring Month and click here to read about mentoring opportunities for San Antonio seniors.
Mentor Hall of Fame
GEN. COLIN POWELL mentored by his father, Luther Powell
DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING mentored by Mahatma Gandhi
HELEN KELLER mentored by Anne Sullivan
ROSA PARKS mentored by Alice L. White (headmistress)
MARIAN WRIGHT EDELMAN mentored by Howard Zinn
LUKE SKYWALKER mentored by Obi-Wan Ben Kenobi (Star Wars)
WALTER CRONKITE mentored by Fred Birney (high school journalism teacher)
SEN. HILLARY RODHAM CLINTON mentored by Rev. Donald James
BOB DYLAN mentored by Woody Guthrie
GLORIA ESTEFAN mentored by her grandmother Consuelo Garcia
DENZEL WASHINGTON mentored by Sidney Poitier
HARRY POTTER mentored by Professor Dumbledore
TOM BROKAW mentored by Frances Morrow (elementary school teacher)
Click here for more famous mentor-mentee pairs.
Coming Up
1/18. The most important day of the year—Carol’s birthday, of course! Happy Birthday, Carol!
1/21. Carol gives a speech: Is Probate Scary? —@ the MARC building, 10am.
Volunteering isn't just good for the community. Seniors who volunteer, simultaneously enrich their own lives and improve their overall emotional and physical health when they give back to society. A recent study published in the journal, The Gerontologist, zeroes in on the particular benefits volunteering offers older adults, and reveals how organizations can help their older volunteers best reap those benefits. Read more about What Seniors Get from Giving Back.
Book Recommendation: I Dare Me
If you’re looking for a fun read, I found one. I Dare Me is about a woman’s quest to do one new thing every day for a year, what she learned, and what we all can gain from her journey ...more
Partner of the Month: Gray Matters—Older Adult Solutions
Jill Trevino has a passion for helping the elderly that started when she was just 8 years old. As a child, she spent her spare time at a nursing home feeding the blind and helping with activities. She says, “Fortunately, I was allowed to learn what it was like from the ground up for the residents to live in an institutional setting. Many of the residents became my surrogate grandparents—I knew I wanted to make a difference.”
Jill went on to receive an undergraduate degree in aging and a Master’s in Social Gerontology with an emphasis in Adult Learning. She now has more than 22 years of professional experience serving seniors and their families. She’s worked in nursing facilities, managed assisted-living facilities, run geriatric mental-health clinics, and has taught geriatric care management. Jill's diverse career inspired her to launch her own business as a geriatric care manager and consultant. Gray Matters—Older Adult Solutions is a San Antonio based business dedicated to meeting the needs of seniors and their loved ones.
A geriatric care manager (GCM) is a professional who specializes in assisting older adults and their significant others in meeting their care needs. GCMs have training in social work, nursing, gerontology, and counseling and use their extensive knowledge about cost, quality, and availability of services in the senior community to provide sound advice. GCMs conduct in-home assessments and create care plans that consider both short and long-term needs. GCMs also coordinate care, services, and equipment as well as monitor care provided at home or in facilities. GCMs also conduct placement services, attend doctor appointments, and consult with caregivers. Geriatric care management is a fee for service and can save families time and money when a crisis occurs.
You can reach Jill Trevino, owner and geriatric care manager for Gray Matters at (210) 363-3554 or by email: jill.trevino@yahoo.com.
