Our Members: In Their Own Words
"Every time I go to Atria Senior Center and paint the nails of lovely ladies, I talk to them but it is just small talk. Chats about things here and there. Nothing too intimate. But something different happened today. I found myself staying longer, not because there were nails waiting to be painted but because our conversations did not seem to come to a dead end. One of my friends and I were sitting at a table, divided by three women. Out of three women, I had only seen one of them once and I doubted that she would remember me, for our previous meeting was short and too long ago. After several compliments and talk of our school, one of the women, who I will call Jade for privacy reasons, started to tell us about her experience at Atria Senior Center. Jade came to Atria in January of this year. She told us how when her daughter first brought her there, she refused to stay. All her family members thought that she would not able to survive a day there. The first week Jade felt that her family was right. The second week got easier. She got used to some of the people, environment and the activities. While she was telling her story, I was thinking about her words and how they applied to my life. My first week in Townsend Harris was absolutely one of the worst and most awkward weeks of my life so far. I did not like anything about. But the second week got better until the third week came and that got better and better and so forth. Well, what I am trying to say is the lesson we should all learn from not only my experience but also Jade's experience is that everything gets better and better, just try to find the good parts of it. I can't wait to go to the Atria Senior Center soon and learn another lesson."
--Rabia
"My understanding of these women and their lifestyle evolves with every visit. Recently, I felt like I understood the lives that these women -and men- led in senior homes. But this makeover revealed to me that there is always something more than the eye can behold at the first and second glance. Although Atria is filled with an incredible staff and accommodations, it's difficult for these women to call Atria their home. On the 14th, I had the chance to talk with and paint a new resident's nails. Before painting her nails, I talked to a resident who had been at Atria for quite some time now. She pointed the new resident out and told me to be sweet to her as she's "new." I asked her why she didn't talk to the new resident herself. For the first time, I realized that these women were just as shy as I could be with girls my own age. They were embarrassed and scared of the different environment. The part that struck me was that there was still a mutual understanding between these women despite the lack of oral communication. It hit me that all these women went through the same phase of loneliness when they first came to Atria. It took a lot for the smiling women that I see today to smile and enjoy their residence. I hope that through these manicures, the ladies can branch their friendship and overcome their shyness in order to make new friends and accommodate one another."
--Rebecca
"It was finally 9/30/14- our first makeover of the year had finally arrived and I was beyond excited! As soon as we stepped into the parlor, every one of the ladies' faces lit up, waving and greeting us with warm welcomes. As we all set out the nail polishes, the ladies eagerly chose their favorite colors and each of the volunteers sat down next to a lady, and for me, it was Lorraine. I never met Lorraine last year, so I was eager to talk to her- she was an absolute sweetheart! As soon as I introduced myself, she immediately said, "Oh! Lena- that was my grandmother's name!" with a great smile on her face. As I painted her nails a light pink, she earnestly twisted her hand left and right so that I was able to paint her nails with ease. We talked and laughed until I painted her last nail with top coat, although it was only a temporary goodbye, it hurt to end our conversation so soon. "I'll see you soon, Lena!", Lorraine cried with an even bigger smile than when I first met her."
-- Lena
"Yesterday I went on my first ever Glamour Gals trip. I couldn't wait to get there! We arrived and set up in a recreational room in the retirement home. A few seniors came in, and everyone got started. I had a great time- I worked with three different ladies, all of whom were very nice, and so happy to see us. Besides getting their nails done, I could tell that they really enjoyed the conversations and companionship. It was great talking to them and being able to hear a bit about their lives. One woman told me of her trips to China, Thailand and North Africa, which was really interesting. I hope to go back soon and be able to visit them again."
-- Jillian
"Today we went to the retirement home and I was able to give a woman a manicure. We had a very interesting talk which was a lot different from what I was expecting. I was imagining an old woman who had a very sweet disposition and maybe had a hearing problem. She was very different. She was very sweet, don't get me wrong, but she was also extremely funny. While we were giving her a manicure she asked if we had boyfriends. She wanted every juicy detail and I'm pretty sure my jaw dropped and hit the floor. She also had the funniest comments to make and the funniest stories to tell. She also gave me a lot of life lessons. Her story was filled with a lot of hardships. I learned that she was originally from Italy and learned 3 other languages, none of them English because Mussolini was against America and didn't want his people learning their language. She had to leave her first lover in Italy so she could have a better life in America. She's lost many loved ones and cherishes the ones in her life now. She was a really interesting person and I can't wait to meet her again."
-- Nuzhat
"I went to the Retirement Home thinking that I would be horrible at painting nails and at communicating. But when I arrived there, my nerves began to calm down. My friends reassured me that everything would be o.k. and that I shouldn't be worried of anything. A few minutes later we met R____. We were able to paint her nails and interact with her. R____ was extremely kind, funny and very special. In my mind I thought she would be like most elderly people. To my surprise, she had a young soul. She made my friends and me laugh and smile so many times. After I left, I had this feeling of accomplishment. I loved that I was able to make someone feel joyful. I can hardly wait for our next visit! =D "
-- Yaelin
" . . . they missed us over the summer, I saw the familiar faces of the women rush in with high spirits, as soon as we arrived there. Also, seems like word of our club is spreading because we had quite a number of new members as well. One of the new women I met today was R_____. Although she seemed small and shy at first, she turned out to be one of the brightest women I've seen there. She was so charismatic and funny and amused everyone she spoke to. She made a lot of sarcastic jokes and encouraged everyone to take pictures. R______ truly did light up the room with positive energy. She touched my heart when she said how grateful she was that we were taking time out of our busy lives to keep company with an old lady like her at some quiet nursing home. It made me feel so warm inside to know that women at the nursing home really appreciate us going there to volunteer, and we make a difference. Anyway, today was great and I can't wait to do this again next Wednesday!"
-- Irene
"Today, I attended Glamour Gal's GLTI. I had no idea what would occur, nor what to expect (other than a workshop and a t-shirt). However, after attending the workshop, I can say that I have been inspired more than ever to put myself out into the world . . . I have learned the importance of going out there and helping OTHERS, rather than myself. . . I have begun to appreciate the ability to help others and keep an open mind about it. You see, my school has an Ephebic Oath to leave our city better than we found it. . . Today's event allowed me to feel even more motivated to push myself to the limit so that I can impact my surroundings. For once, I have hope that I can and will achieve my dreams without the feelings of apathy. I have learned that helping others is the beginning for helping yourself."
-- Jocelyn
"We had the first visit. It was amazing. . . We painted Gale's nails, she loves pink and purple. Even painted a guy's nails clear for his date ;). But yes overall, this was extremely fun! Can't wait for the future visits!"
-- Rohanie
"The first time I went to Atria Senior Center, I was really scared. I didn't know how I would interact with the elderly women or if they would like the way I did their nails. . . Soon enough, this elderly women walked in and I offered to do her nails. She was very kind and she shared stories of her life while I was doing her nails. She told me about her grandchildren that live in Europe and the accident she had a few years ago. When I finished her nails, she told me that she liked the way they looked. The elderly woman liked her nails so much, that she wanted to take a picture of her nails and send it to her grandchildren. It really meant a lot to me to see her happy. This was my most memorable moment.
-- Ena
The feeling at that moment, entering the nursing home, was one that you couldn't feel before. As you walked through the door . . . you can feel the souls that lived in the walls. As we entered the room, the seats were empty but soon enough they would be filled. For the first time, a group of friends and I did an old woman's nails. . . It was nice getting to really relate with someone who is much older than us and this shows us that age really doesn't matter. Children and people today section off others by different means of prejudice, but here we broke the barriers that were still standing. Leaving the people in the nursing home with smiles on their faces and warmth in their hearts, we knew we had done a good thing.
-- Kimberly
While I was painting her nails, she teared up because she was very happy. It was a very touching experience and I can't wait to go again.
-- Hannah
I LOVED the experience! The senior ladies were so sweet and kind and we shared many, many laughs. We talked about things that made them feel happy in the inside as well as happy on the outside by making them look beautiful. My heart felt like I did something very good when I saw the smile on their faces. Ruth, one of the senior ladies, told me that " I won't be able to sleep at night because I'll be staring at my nails and I will think of you." This made me feel so special. I'm glad that I can help the seniors and make them feel special. I hope to bring happiness to many other senior's hearts in the upcoming events! I LOVE GLAMOUR GALS!
--Kajol
It was such a wonderful day yesterday on our trip to the retirement home. Overall, the people were so kind and I felt more comfortable because I already had more experience. I was able to meet once again a lovely lady whose name was Gale. She loved the color PURPLE, a lot!! She was humorous and full of joy. I remember her saying, "My hands are cold now, but I have a warm heart". <3
--Yaelin
--Rabia
"My understanding of these women and their lifestyle evolves with every visit. Recently, I felt like I understood the lives that these women -and men- led in senior homes. But this makeover revealed to me that there is always something more than the eye can behold at the first and second glance. Although Atria is filled with an incredible staff and accommodations, it's difficult for these women to call Atria their home. On the 14th, I had the chance to talk with and paint a new resident's nails. Before painting her nails, I talked to a resident who had been at Atria for quite some time now. She pointed the new resident out and told me to be sweet to her as she's "new." I asked her why she didn't talk to the new resident herself. For the first time, I realized that these women were just as shy as I could be with girls my own age. They were embarrassed and scared of the different environment. The part that struck me was that there was still a mutual understanding between these women despite the lack of oral communication. It hit me that all these women went through the same phase of loneliness when they first came to Atria. It took a lot for the smiling women that I see today to smile and enjoy their residence. I hope that through these manicures, the ladies can branch their friendship and overcome their shyness in order to make new friends and accommodate one another."
--Rebecca
"It was finally 9/30/14- our first makeover of the year had finally arrived and I was beyond excited! As soon as we stepped into the parlor, every one of the ladies' faces lit up, waving and greeting us with warm welcomes. As we all set out the nail polishes, the ladies eagerly chose their favorite colors and each of the volunteers sat down next to a lady, and for me, it was Lorraine. I never met Lorraine last year, so I was eager to talk to her- she was an absolute sweetheart! As soon as I introduced myself, she immediately said, "Oh! Lena- that was my grandmother's name!" with a great smile on her face. As I painted her nails a light pink, she earnestly twisted her hand left and right so that I was able to paint her nails with ease. We talked and laughed until I painted her last nail with top coat, although it was only a temporary goodbye, it hurt to end our conversation so soon. "I'll see you soon, Lena!", Lorraine cried with an even bigger smile than when I first met her."
-- Lena
"Yesterday I went on my first ever Glamour Gals trip. I couldn't wait to get there! We arrived and set up in a recreational room in the retirement home. A few seniors came in, and everyone got started. I had a great time- I worked with three different ladies, all of whom were very nice, and so happy to see us. Besides getting their nails done, I could tell that they really enjoyed the conversations and companionship. It was great talking to them and being able to hear a bit about their lives. One woman told me of her trips to China, Thailand and North Africa, which was really interesting. I hope to go back soon and be able to visit them again."
-- Jillian
"Today we went to the retirement home and I was able to give a woman a manicure. We had a very interesting talk which was a lot different from what I was expecting. I was imagining an old woman who had a very sweet disposition and maybe had a hearing problem. She was very different. She was very sweet, don't get me wrong, but she was also extremely funny. While we were giving her a manicure she asked if we had boyfriends. She wanted every juicy detail and I'm pretty sure my jaw dropped and hit the floor. She also had the funniest comments to make and the funniest stories to tell. She also gave me a lot of life lessons. Her story was filled with a lot of hardships. I learned that she was originally from Italy and learned 3 other languages, none of them English because Mussolini was against America and didn't want his people learning their language. She had to leave her first lover in Italy so she could have a better life in America. She's lost many loved ones and cherishes the ones in her life now. She was a really interesting person and I can't wait to meet her again."
-- Nuzhat
"I went to the Retirement Home thinking that I would be horrible at painting nails and at communicating. But when I arrived there, my nerves began to calm down. My friends reassured me that everything would be o.k. and that I shouldn't be worried of anything. A few minutes later we met R____. We were able to paint her nails and interact with her. R____ was extremely kind, funny and very special. In my mind I thought she would be like most elderly people. To my surprise, she had a young soul. She made my friends and me laugh and smile so many times. After I left, I had this feeling of accomplishment. I loved that I was able to make someone feel joyful. I can hardly wait for our next visit! =D "
-- Yaelin
" . . . they missed us over the summer, I saw the familiar faces of the women rush in with high spirits, as soon as we arrived there. Also, seems like word of our club is spreading because we had quite a number of new members as well. One of the new women I met today was R_____. Although she seemed small and shy at first, she turned out to be one of the brightest women I've seen there. She was so charismatic and funny and amused everyone she spoke to. She made a lot of sarcastic jokes and encouraged everyone to take pictures. R______ truly did light up the room with positive energy. She touched my heart when she said how grateful she was that we were taking time out of our busy lives to keep company with an old lady like her at some quiet nursing home. It made me feel so warm inside to know that women at the nursing home really appreciate us going there to volunteer, and we make a difference. Anyway, today was great and I can't wait to do this again next Wednesday!"
-- Irene
"Today, I attended Glamour Gal's GLTI. I had no idea what would occur, nor what to expect (other than a workshop and a t-shirt). However, after attending the workshop, I can say that I have been inspired more than ever to put myself out into the world . . . I have learned the importance of going out there and helping OTHERS, rather than myself. . . I have begun to appreciate the ability to help others and keep an open mind about it. You see, my school has an Ephebic Oath to leave our city better than we found it. . . Today's event allowed me to feel even more motivated to push myself to the limit so that I can impact my surroundings. For once, I have hope that I can and will achieve my dreams without the feelings of apathy. I have learned that helping others is the beginning for helping yourself."
-- Jocelyn
"We had the first visit. It was amazing. . . We painted Gale's nails, she loves pink and purple. Even painted a guy's nails clear for his date ;). But yes overall, this was extremely fun! Can't wait for the future visits!"
-- Rohanie
"The first time I went to Atria Senior Center, I was really scared. I didn't know how I would interact with the elderly women or if they would like the way I did their nails. . . Soon enough, this elderly women walked in and I offered to do her nails. She was very kind and she shared stories of her life while I was doing her nails. She told me about her grandchildren that live in Europe and the accident she had a few years ago. When I finished her nails, she told me that she liked the way they looked. The elderly woman liked her nails so much, that she wanted to take a picture of her nails and send it to her grandchildren. It really meant a lot to me to see her happy. This was my most memorable moment.
-- Ena
The feeling at that moment, entering the nursing home, was one that you couldn't feel before. As you walked through the door . . . you can feel the souls that lived in the walls. As we entered the room, the seats were empty but soon enough they would be filled. For the first time, a group of friends and I did an old woman's nails. . . It was nice getting to really relate with someone who is much older than us and this shows us that age really doesn't matter. Children and people today section off others by different means of prejudice, but here we broke the barriers that were still standing. Leaving the people in the nursing home with smiles on their faces and warmth in their hearts, we knew we had done a good thing.
-- Kimberly
While I was painting her nails, she teared up because she was very happy. It was a very touching experience and I can't wait to go again.
-- Hannah
I LOVED the experience! The senior ladies were so sweet and kind and we shared many, many laughs. We talked about things that made them feel happy in the inside as well as happy on the outside by making them look beautiful. My heart felt like I did something very good when I saw the smile on their faces. Ruth, one of the senior ladies, told me that " I won't be able to sleep at night because I'll be staring at my nails and I will think of you." This made me feel so special. I'm glad that I can help the seniors and make them feel special. I hope to bring happiness to many other senior's hearts in the upcoming events! I LOVE GLAMOUR GALS!
--Kajol
It was such a wonderful day yesterday on our trip to the retirement home. Overall, the people were so kind and I felt more comfortable because I already had more experience. I was able to meet once again a lovely lady whose name was Gale. She loved the color PURPLE, a lot!! She was humorous and full of joy. I remember her saying, "My hands are cold now, but I have a warm heart". <3
--Yaelin