60-Plus Blazers: Preventing loneliness and social isolation among the elderly

Jul 23, 2017 News

By Feona Morrison

Elderly group, 60-Plus Blazers, is on a mission of providing innovative solutions to social issues for persons over 60 years of age. It is equipping its members with all that is necessary to lead independent and healthy lives in their homes and communities.
After all, loneliness and social isolation affects everyone, but the elderly are more vulnerable after the loss of friends and family, reduced mobility and other factors.
The idea to form such a group started with a vision from Social Worker Marlon Agrippa, whose mother lost her battle with diabetes two years ago. Agrippa, who has been in the profession for 10 years, was determined for his mother’s legacy to live on. He explained that he once attended a church where the pastor had a vision of forming an elderly group.
“Around the time we were talking about it, my mother passed away. She had been an educator for 49 years, and I said I’m not going to allow this investment to go to rest.”

Founder of 60-Plus Blazers, Marlon Agrippa

Agrippa said that during his search for persons to join the group, he found six diabetic women.
Within months, that number grew. The group now has 109 active members – two of whom are men – and a visually impaired person. Almost half of them are able-bodied.
Although the group meets on the last Thursday of every month at the Catholic Life Centre, Brickdam, Georgetown, Agrippa noted that the Bible is never a topic of discussion. But they always start and culminate meetings with prayers.
The elderly group comprises members from all religious and ethnic backgrounds.
According to Agrippa, “The group grew with persons from all religious backgrounds and women from different professions.”
Agrippa related that during the group’s first year of existence, members focused on getting to know each other’s personalities and social issues. He stated that it was interesting to find out that some of the members were either widowed or had been separated from their partners.
“During the first year, we worked on getting to know the personalities and background of each member. That was when we found out that we had individuals who were retired army officers, retired head teachers, housewives, seamstresses, business women and knitters…”

He added that during discussions with the elderly, it was revealed that some of them used their pensions to support a grandchild who is either in jail or has been left for them to take care of, because of one reason or the other. One of the things Agrippa did as he guided the group, was enquire of members who had overcome any issue a member was struggling with, and had them advise and lend support to the others.
“I always have them embrace each other, because a woman understands another woman.”
The group has collaborated with another organization, Women’s United, and has commenced outreach works at geriatric homes like the Palms.

Sharing a bond. A group member removes something from the face of another

Members of 60-Plus Blazers engage Palms residents in an afternoon of craft

Agrippa stated that while that organization focuses on engaging the seniors in craft, 60-Plus Blazers, “want to focus on lending an active listening ear. The group has very talented women, one of them plays the mouth organ and another writes poems which are relevant to today’s issues.”
“If it means sitting at the side of a bed for someone in a home and holding their hands, 60-Plus Blazers is prepared to give that kind of support, recognising that we are a social group reaching out to persons with social issues,” Agrippa pointed out.
Members of the senior citizens’ group have already been engaged in a mental health workshop, after it was observed that persons were suffering from Alzheimer’s or living in a state of denial.
As for the future of 60-Plus Blazers, Agrippa related that it will remain a non-governmental organization ready to assist the elderly. “The members are very passionate about building an organization to help society”.
The group plans to start fund-raising activities shortly, with the hope of eventually securing enough to erect a permanent building for meetings and to assist the needy.
For now, 60-Plus Blazers carries on with donations from its members.
Persons desirous of joining the group or making contributions of any kind can call 592-675-4268 or email [email protected].