Rides to Literacy Classes Open New Doors for Senior
Eliminating isolation for seniors who are unable to drive is one of the goals for Faith in Action Georgetown. And, isolated was exactly how 74-year-old Yolanda Maldonado Caceves was feeling after moving in with her daughter, son-in-law, and young grandson following the death of her husband. A native of Mexico, Ms. Maldonado doesn’t know much English and she had no friends in Georgetown. Her daughter, Yolanda Munoz knew staying home all day alone wasn’t good for her mother.
It gives me peace of mind that she is doing another activity.
Ms. Munoz started searching for options and came across Faith in Action Georgetown. Faith in Action Georgetown started off driving Ms. Maldonado to Tai Chi at the Georgetown Recreation Cen-ter. There she made a friend who now drives her to class. Knowing her mother wanted to learn English, Ms. Munoz found that the Williamson County Literacy Council offered classes to the community. Working with Faith in Action Georgetown to provide transportation, her mother began taking classes to learn English.
“It gives me peace of mind that she is doing another activity. It’s not healthy for her to be in the house all the time. It’s much healthier for her and the longer I have her, the better,” said Ms. Munoz. Speaking through her daughter, Ms. Maldonado said, “Before I started going I was feeling a little dim, a little blue. Now it has improved my attention,” referring to feeling sad and that she was not as mentally sharp. “I am grateful to everyone who has given me rides. They are very kind and they cheer me on,” she said.
