Page 49 - Summer 2019 - Lubbock Senior Link Magazine - Online Magazine

Some are friends they visit with that they appreciate the visit as much as
while they are on walks. They they do the meal. They also know that
participate in activities at the the visit from LMOW is a bit of a safety
club house with their neighbors. check. If the volunteer doesn’t find one
They love, pet and care for their of them at home, LMOW staff will follow
neighbors’ dogs. They know up to make sure they get any assistance
about their neighbors’ families. they might need.
They have a general idea of each
other’s schedules and needs Pat and Hellen illustrate the potential
so they can keep up with each benefits of knowing your neighbor. They
other. They both volunteer to are attentive to each other and to those
help with various activities in around them. Their neighborly attitude
their community, like Bingo allows both of them to remain at home
night and the library. This past and independent. And they would agree
year, they spent Thanksgiving that having a friend who lives close by
with several of their neighbors conveniently and regularly raises their
who weren’t with family. quality of life.

Pat and Hellen also consider the
staff at the United Supermarket
at 4th and Slide Road to be
“neighbors”. They ride the shuttle to shop there
each week. The staff knows each of their names,
and they know the staff. The residents help each
other, knowing who needs help reaching things and
who needs help seeing things. The staff at United
know who will need their assistance, as well. They
set aside time each week to shop alongside those
people. When a newer United opened - closer to
where Pat and Hellen live, they were afraid that the
shuttle would begin taking them there. They didn’t
want to leave their neighbors at 4th and Slide Road.
It turns out that the staff at United also felt the same
way. They have all developed a relationship over the
years.

Hellen began receiving lunch from Lubbock Meals
on Wheels about six years ago. Until recently,
Pat was able to cook for herself. After a fall about
a month ago, Pat found that she could no longer
prepare a full meal for herself. She knew several
neighbors who already received meals, so she
called to get on the program. Both ladies consider
their LMOW volunteers to be neighbors. They get
to know who delivers on each day, and they form
relationships with those people. They both agree

Lubbock Senior Link 49