“The circle of life must work. If you want something, give first.”
Delivery and Tea Coordinator in Dnipro Ksenia Khokhlia on the motivation to help the elderly.
We asked the Delivery and Tea Coordinator in Dnipro, Ksenia Khokhlia, to share her experience of volunteering with Starenki. Read our post to find out what motivates Ksenia to help elderly people and why deliveries are a special event for her, and join our volunteer community. No matter which city in Ukraine you are reading this from, write to us on social media if you want to help lonely elderly people
What is your personal motivation for helping the elderly?
It’s about forming a conscious attitude and respect towards the elderly. This is a vulnerable category of our society that the state should care for, but the state consists of each of us as conscious citizens. Therefore, we should tolerate caring for the elderly.
Also, I currently have a bedridden grandmother whom my mother mainly cares for, and I help out. Every day when I change her diaper or just feed her, I look into her eyes and realize that sometimes I’m talking to a small child. This helplessness and powerlessness make me think about the physical and physiological changes in the body, especially cognitive changes in old age.
These people have lived long lives, they have done a lot, they were definitely young and smart, had their affairs, but now, some of them may have difficulties not only in financially supporting themselves but also in physically taking care of themselves.
What are your impressions of the delivery process? What moments were the most pleasant?
The delivery process was quite interesting for me because it allows me to visit them at home, in their environment, which helps to understand a bit more about the conditions our elderly live in and what their lives actually look like.
Eyes full of gratitude, tears, and joy that someone still remembers them and cares for them. That we care, we came specifically to see them because we care.
Do you think it’s necessary to openly talk about helping others?
In moderation. I believe it’s necessary, not to show off how good you are, but to encourage others to think about what they can do. We should copy not just each other’s clothes on Instagram but also good deeds. People are inclined to imitate; let these be the examples they follow.
What would you advise those who want to try volunteering for the first time?
Realize that the most precious thing we can give in this life is our time because it is limited. And it is very fulfilling. The circle of life must work. If you want something, give first.
I also really liked your phrase at our first online meeting. The main thing is that it shouldn’t be a burden. From the heart, that’s how I understood it for myself.