Support the Y • Y Stories
Older adult helps build up her community after overcoming isolation with donor support
01 November 2019 - by YMCA of Greater Toronto
The holiday season gets many of us excited for family time, cozy nights by the fire, and maybe a little too much to eat. But as the so-called “loneliness epidemic” spreads, some of our neighbours don’t have these festivities to look forward to. YMCA member Isabel says she used to feel like one of these people. Here’s how she found her tribe — and how you can help more people find theirs.
In her eighties and living alone in her Toronto apartment, Isabel felt isolated and lonely — like she was just watching her life go by. The holidays were a reminder of how much things had changed: she missed her old friendships, which had become harder to maintain with age. And she saw people around her celebrating with their loved ones, which made her wish she had someone to share this special season with.
That all changed when Isabel decided to try coming to the YMCA — despite knowing she’d have to overcome some barriers:
1. The first was financial: she couldn’t afford a membership on her own.
2. The second was accessibility: mobility issues had kept her from being as active as she wanted to be over the years.
3. Third and finally, Isabel was a little shy. She was nervous to venture into a new place with new people.
Isabel stepped up to face these barriers head on, and as a community charity, it was our privilege and responsibility to be there for her:
Most importantly, Isabel hasn’t just benefitted from joining the Y; our community has flourished thanks to her participation in it. Our staff fondly refer to her as their substitute grandmother! She’s truly in her element here and our Y wouldn’t be the same without her or the thousands of other community members who find their second home with us.
There are countless people in our community who feel like Isabel used to: older adults, newcomers, at-risk youth, and other vulnerable people looking for a place to belong. For them, the Y is a great gym — but it’s also where they find family, community, and the support we all need to be our best. Give to the Y today to help more people pull themselves out of isolation and find their place in their community.
In her eighties and living alone in her Toronto apartment, Isabel felt isolated and lonely — like she was just watching her life go by. The holidays were a reminder of how much things had changed: she missed her old friendships, which had become harder to maintain with age. And she saw people around her celebrating with their loved ones, which made her wish she had someone to share this special season with.
That all changed when Isabel decided to try coming to the YMCA — despite knowing she’d have to overcome some barriers:
1. The first was financial: she couldn’t afford a membership on her own.
2. The second was accessibility: mobility issues had kept her from being as active as she wanted to be over the years.
3. Third and finally, Isabel was a little shy. She was nervous to venture into a new place with new people.
Isabel stepped up to face these barriers head on, and as a community charity, it was our privilege and responsibility to be there for her:
- Thanks to the generous support of our donors, she was able to get a membership through our financial assistance program, which allows us to keep our doors open to people of all incomes.
- Isabel started exploring our fitness program options and was thrilled to find new kinds of movement she could enjoy.
- Her nerves quickly melted away. Now, Isabel gets to the Y an hour before her AquaFit class starts so she can have enough time to catch up with the women who’ve become her closest friends before they start their workout together.
Most importantly, Isabel hasn’t just benefitted from joining the Y; our community has flourished thanks to her participation in it. Our staff fondly refer to her as their substitute grandmother! She’s truly in her element here and our Y wouldn’t be the same without her or the thousands of other community members who find their second home with us.
There are countless people in our community who feel like Isabel used to: older adults, newcomers, at-risk youth, and other vulnerable people looking for a place to belong. For them, the Y is a great gym — but it’s also where they find family, community, and the support we all need to be our best. Give to the Y today to help more people pull themselves out of isolation and find their place in their community.
