Older adults, many of whom have been separated from friends and family or unable to partake in their usual social activities, have had a particularly challenging go of it lately.
Thankfully, there have been plenty of great and heartwarming moments for seniors, their loved ones, caregivers and those around them, too — no matter what was going on in the world. From “hugging walls” to bingo nights and calls with celebrities to family finishing college together, we’ve rounded up 8 of our favorite feel-good stories this year. Read on for more.
1. “Hugging walls” bring families together
Wishing you could be with friends and family? Enterprising families and senior living facilities around the country figured out one way to help: They set up “hugging walls,” commonly created using hanging plastic sheets or tarps that enable loved ones to hug each other. And experts say it’s safe.
“At this point in the pandemic, it is clear that physical barriers, such as masks and goggles, reduce COVID transmission,” Dr. Genevieve Brauning, lead physician at Novant Health SouthPark Family Physicians in Charlotte, North Carolina tells Care.com. “There are no studies looking at plastic sheeting and COVID transmission, but, from what we currently know about the virus, an adequate plastic sheet barrier should give excellent protection against COVID transmission.”
Want to make one? Dr. Brauning offers up a few tips to keep in mind, like ensuring there’s extra material on both sides and wearing a mask.
2. A woman with Alzheimer’s disease FaceTimed with actor Ryan O’Neal
Anyone with a celebrity crush will love this story: Erica Steiner’s mom, Robin, who has advanced early onset Alzheimer’s disease, has always loved the movie “Love Story,” which stars actor Ryan O’Neal. After Steiner posted a video of her mom kissing O’Neal’s photo as part of Robin’s sweet nighttime routine, O’Neal’s son Patrick responded and helped arrange a FaceTime call between the two. Robin’s joy in the video is infectious as they talk about the movie and repeat the iconic “Love means never having to say you’re sorry” line.
“She did not believe me at all when I said Ryan O’Neal would be calling her,” Steiner, who is her mom’s full time caregiver, says. “I’m so glad I recorded it because I don’t think she’d believe me even now unless I was able to show it to her. We’ve watched it roughly 10,000 times together.”
3. 93-year-old asks for “more beer”
Forget toilet paper and hand sanitizer. Early on in the pandemic, Olive Veronesi, 93, held up a sign to let her family — and ultimately, the millions of people who saw her photo — know what she wanted: beer. In the adorable photo, the Seminole, Pennsylvania resident is holding a sign that says, “I need more beer.”
She tells KDKA in Pittsburgh, who posted the pic on their Facebook page, that she has a nightly beer, explaining, “I was on my last 12 cans, I have a beer every night, you know what, beer has vitamins in it, it’s good for you, as long as you don’t overdo it.” The station then reported that, shortly after, Molson Coors sent 150 beers her way — one of which she opened “right on the front porch.”
4. Matthew McConaughey plays bingo with seniors
Speaking of celebrities, back in April, actor Matthew McConaughey and his family played virtual bingo with a group of seniors from The Enclave at Round Rock Senior Living in Austin and made their day.
“Our team members can’t interact with the residents the way we normally do, so we have been doing everything possible to uplift them virtually,” Molly Davis Nedley, the sales director at the senior living facility tells CBS Austin. “This was a wish come true! The residents absolutely loved seeing Matthew and his family and enjoyed hearing him talk about what he’s doing to get through this crisis. It gave them hope and was the boost that they needed to get through this lonely, challenging time.”
5. 90-year-old gifts his original motorcycle for his birthday
Before emigrating to the country, Vince Zandbelt’s father had to part with his beloved 1956 DKW motorcycle. Vince always knew how much the bike meant to his dad, and so, he set out on a quest to find it and return it to him — which he did, from Holland, for his father’s 90th birthday, according to Faces Magazine.
“You’ve got an old friend from 60 years ago that you left behind,” his son says in a longer version of the video, created by his grandson, as he brings the bike into view. “And Dad, it gives me great honor to reunite you with your long lost buddy. This is your old bike, Dad.” His father immediately starts crying, repeating how thankful he is. The video closes with him revving the engine — we bet, just like in the old days.
6. Former ballerina, who has Alzheimer’s disease, expertly moves to music
A moving video of a ballerina with Alzheimer’s dancing immediately struck a chord. According to The Guardian, the woman, Marta Cinta González Saldaña, owned a dance company in New York City and can be seen in the video moving to the music as Odette from the classic Swan Lake. This fall, Spain-based Música para Despertar originally posted the video, which was taken last year, and underscores the importance of music and dance for those with Alzheimer’s.
Grace Meadows, program director at UK-based Music for Dementia, told the publication that auditory memory is one of the last to go. She says, “You see her as the expert. You get a glimpse of what she was like as a ballerina and that’s who she will always be. And I think that’s really comforting for the person and for those around them, to see who they are beyond their dementia.”
7. Grandmother and granddaughter finish college together
The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga got two new alumni this November — 22-year-old Melody Ormond and her 74-year-old grandmother, Pat. “I always brag since she started going to school with me. I’ve told people, like every class, all my friends, ‘Oh, Nana, she goes to school, my Nana, my Nana, did you hear that?,” Melody tells the school’s blog. “And everybody’s always like, ‘Oh wow, that’s so cool.’ She knocked it out of the park.”
Pat’s degree is anthropology and Melody’s is in psychology — with Melody now thinking of grad school and Pat starting another degree in history, according to CNN. “Learning never stops,” Pat says in an interview with the site. “That’s something that my father instilled in me when I was younger. No matter what you do, learning never stops. Even if it’s auditing a few classes, there’s always that option.”
8. 89-year-old pizza delivery man gets $20K in donations
Delivery people deserve all our praise this year. But a Utah family took that a step further by donating what ultimately amounted to $20,000 to their 89-year-old pizza delivery man, Derlin Newey, who spends about 30 hours a week working for Papa John’s Pizza, according to the Washington Post.
Gladys and Carlos Valdez posted videos of Newey’s deliveries to TikTok — and eventually decided to ask their followers for “tips” in his honor.
“He was just so friendly, really talkative, and just super sweet and genuine,” Gladys Valdez tells the newspaper. They filmed the sweet moment when they surprised Newey with the donation — which was just over $12,000 at the time — in, of course, a pizza box.
