Local Group Extends A Golden Opportunity To Chase Away Loneliness

By Kendra Bobowick

Golden Opportunities Program Administrator Nancy Taylor, left, settles into the nonprofit organization's downtown Sandy Hook offices with Managing Director Knettie Archard. They occupy suite 102 at 1 Riverside Road. -Bee Photos, Bobowick

Golden Opportunities Managing Director Knettie Archard searched her memory for the reasons she started the nonprofit organization in August to reach isolated or lonely individuals.

She finds her answers more than a decade in the past.

"About 15 years ago I visited a friend of a friend in a nursing home. He had no family and was confined to a bed," she said. Ms Archard would read to him, play board games, and talk.

She also rubbed cream into his hands, which led to a sad discovery.

"One day he said he gets a bath once a week but other than that, 'No one ever touches me.' No human touch at all, and that awakened me," Ms Archard said.

Reinforcing the feelings that began 15 years ago was a more recent situation involving Ms Archard's parents, who she cared for between 2000 and 2005.

She said her mother and father were limited as they aged and she saw the changes in their attitudes.

"As their health deteriorated, so did their well-being," she said. Her parents' moods improved on occasion, however.

"I saw they were at their best with company, it put the wind back in their sails," she said.

The organization possesses a business plan - working with Ashlar of Newtown and several other area facilities that identify which residents would benefit from Golden Opportunities - but the nonprofit is built on compassion.

"Our mission is to serve those who are lonely or isolated," Ms Archard said. "They may not be old, but just don't have someone to visit. I know there are a lot of people who could benefit."

Golden Opportunities services include visitation and interaction, wish granting, participation in purposeful projects, and respite programs for caregivers, according to a recent release. The outreach relies on volunteers.

Joining Ms Archard recently is Nancy Taylor, who enters Golden Opportunities as a program administrator. She addressed pairing volunteers with recipients.

"We have one man who was a chef and he is in need of a project, he is in need of a reason," she said. The chef's volunteer match will be what Ms Taylor called "a foodie."

"Maybe they can make a cookbook," she said. She also has personal reasons for believing in Golden Opportunities.

"I have an uncle who was a very bright light in my life and that I had the pleasure of caring for," she said. Her uncle was very good at getting others out of their rooms and to play Scrabble, for instance, she said. "This is why I see the difference it makes and why I want to be a part of it."

Ms Archard believes in companionship. She explained that at age 96, her father had outlived his peers, but she found a solution.

"I got one of my retired teachers to visit so my dad had a guy his age to talk to, I saw how it made a difference," she said. "It was stimulating and good." Laughing, Ms Archard remembers when the man would visit his father.

"My mother would eavesdrop and she finally joined them," she said. On another occasion her mother had also expressed a wish to visit the "old people." She was 89 at the time, she said.

Volunteers Bernie Curran, standing, and George Stockwell, who sits with his granddaughter Brooke Sullivan, took time to visit the Golden Opportunities offices last week. The two are part of a newly established outreach service offering comfort and support for those experiencing loneliness or isolation.

Wishes Granted

Golden Opportunities also accommodates wish granting for the elderly.

"It could range from a hearing aid to a hair dresser," said Ms Archard. "I had anticipated something larger, but it's modest."

The volunteers who reach out to others also benefit from programming.

Ms Archard said, "It just warms your heart and makes you feel good - to put a bright spot in someone else's otherwise dull day."

Ms Taylor said, "It pays you back, [people] are very happy to have the company."

Volunteer Bernie Curran said, "It makes a big difference I think, having someone else to talk to and have the options to talk about what you want to talk about."

George Stockwell is also volunteering time with Golden Opportunities by offering computer instruction.

"I was interested in helping people puzzle out their computer problems," he said.

Ms Archard plans on respite programs for caregivers in the future.

During previous employment with the Hole In The Wall Gang, a camp in Connecticut where children with cancer and other life-threatening illnesses find camaraderie, she did respite work.

"I saw the value of caring for the caregiver, but that's down the road, the next step," Ms Archard said.

Already recipients have responded to Golden Opportunities.

In a letter from Marshall Lane Manor Recreation, Director Megan Mondo wrote, "We look forward to continuing our friendship and services with Golden Opportunities to enhance the lives of our residents." Other correspondence from Lutheran Home of Southbury Recreation Director Collete Kowalski stated, "Your kindness and thoughtfulness made our celebration very special for our residents." Golden Opportunities had provided a special gift for each resident on Valentine's Day.

The organization relies on grants and fundraising, and has already benefited from donations. Golden Opportunities can be reached at its 1 Riverside Road Suite at 426-3301.