CLEVELAND — Books can transport us, through time and through age. And, they can also connect us. A book club geared towards senior citizens is helping them feel less alone during the coronavirus pandemic.
Meet Mrs. Ann Kuula. We met on her porch in Old Brooklyn, a safe distance away.
“I measured the distance between my seat and yours so it would be 6 feet,” she said, tape measure in hand.
Like so many seniors this year, the coronavirus pandemic has left Kuula isolated — separated from family and friends through necessity.
Her birthday celebration consisted of her kids singing to her in her front yard.
“And my oldest son Matt made his first cake and wrote ‘sweet 16’ because at age 79, 7 and 9 is sixteen,” Kuula said, laughing.
Looking for ways to kind of get back to normal.
So when Kuula got the chance to take part in a pilot program book club for seniors, she couldn’t wait.
“When I got the book, I couldn’t put it down,” she said. “Keeping our mind busy!”
And that could be crucial for our elderly as we continue to navigate this.
According to a Washington Post report, doctors have reported increased falls, pulmonary infections, depression and sudden frailty in patients who had been stable for years.
“Human connection is a huge piece of what keeps us healthy,” said Ann Smith, executive director of Books @ Work.
It’s not just your typical book club.— they team up with professors who help facilitate the discussion, in this case, one from Kent State University. The idea came from the Literacy Cooperative, a Cleveland-based nonprofit.
And they got in touch with seniors who wanted to take part through the Cleveland Department of Aging.
“But because most of the folks who participated in this program don’t have internet access, don’t have computers, we actually did this one by phone,” Smith said.
So they hooked up a specific phone line that the seniors could call in to — and then… let them talk.
“The fact that people were able to connect even over the phone, just as disembodied voices and yet they still opened up tremendously,” Smith said. “Some of them shared very personal experiences.”
Because even from miles away, through the most basic of technology, books can bring people together.
“Meeting these people over the phone was so enriching,”Kuula said. “And that’s what older people need — socialization, reminiscing, and enrichment.”
Right now, the program is looking for funding to support more rounds of this unique book club, since the books were sent to the seniors free of charge.
By the way, the book they read was titled The Only Woman in the Room by Heather Terrell— a historical novel about a brilliant female scientist only remembered for her beauty despite her many contributions to modern society.
