“He is one of the most active elders, always looking for something to do, he has become a mandala painter and even dared to go on a bicycle tour, often accompanied by his inseparable cowboy hat.” They were referring to Isidoro Rodríguez Barreda, the user who has been in the Day Stay Center of La Victoria de Acentejo the longest (13 years), and who was part of the first class of graduates at the University of Life.
Along with Isidoro were his 24 colleagues, who were distinguished for the values they transmit and have always transmitted to their relatives, caregivers and the center’s workers, from whom came the initiative, organization and development of an emotional act in which they received their caps, shields, diplomas, medals and borders as well as much applause and the affection of family members.
Values are part of the essence that each person has and what defines them before others in any society. Your life degree. This is how they learned it in one of the workshops they held and for that, each one was recognized for the qualities in which they stand out, such as María Candelaria, who gives all the center staff a nickname and is very affectionate, or Arsenia, the user older (she is 95 years old) who was congratulated for being an entrepreneur and a homebody.
But there was also Teodomira, who carries music in her body and yesterday she showed it by clapping her hands and inviting everyone to dance, or Damián, a person who was defined as “educated, athletic and educated”.
These are just a few examples, but there are many more since all the new graduates have received the education that life has given them, that which is essential and that helps to form good people. An education that they learned from an early age, influenced by fathers, mothers and friends, who supported and taught their children and grandchildren, who shaped their personality and keep it intact.
Many of them did not go to school because they had to live through complex times, in which there were other priorities in their homes and the few who know how to read or write educated themselves because from an early age they had to go out to work.
However, if there is one thing they have in common, it is that their families never failed to instill in them love, respect, empathy, solidarity “and many other values that today, unfortunately, have been diminishing,” said Roberto de la Rosa Martín.
Roberto is a sociocultural animator, responsible for organizing the activities together with the multidisciplinary team made up of a physiotherapist, psychologist, nurses and geriatric assistants, as well as kitchen and cleaning staff, and one of the founders of the center, which opened its doors in 2001.
“The idea arose spontaneously, when the promotions of fringes, institutes and universities of daughters and sons of classmates and relatives began. We thought of giving it a spin and proposing a graduation of fringes but not of a regulated, specific training, but of values”, she related. From that moment there was a revulsion in the center. Workshops were organized, caps and diplomas began to be designed and made, and the entrance and a song were rehearsed. No one hesitated to join and participate. On Thursday, she stressed, there were nerves about the clothes they were going to wear and those in charge of the readings were worried because they feared making mistakes. The opposite happened.
Both successfully presented the conclusions of the values workshop. There were memories for those who are no longer there, a musical performance, a toast and a photocall. The mayor, Juan Antonio García Abreu, dedicated some emotional words to the graduates and encouraged them to learn from them “because they are authentic walking libraries”.
Along with the director of the center, Sandra González Ledesma, and the Councilor for Social Welfare, Estefanía Fernández, handed out the diplomas, placed the cap, and affectionately hugged each of the graduates.
The president also congratulated the staff “because it shows the human team that cares for our elders” and hoped that it would be “the first of many” graduations in life.
Nothing was missing, the act had all the ingredients to live a special day that will always be remembered, both by the graduates and their families, friends and workers, who poured themselves body and soul to make it unforgettable.
