Saturday's with Dr. Roffman

Each Saturday, Dr. Joel Roffman, a prominent Dallas cardiologist and author will share meaningful experiences he has had with patients who are dealing with a variety of physical and emotional issues. You will find the manner in which they deal with life’s problems to be practical, inspirational and uplifting.

A Worthwhile Wednesday Commitment

A dear couple that I care for in my practice was recently in the office for a check-up. Because of some shortness of breath that the woman was experiencing, I recommended she have a sonogram of the heart. As we scheduled the test, she commented, “Any day but Wednesday is OK.” What was the problem with Wednesdays? Well, this couple, in their 70’s had a commitment each Wednesday. They pick up surplus bread and other items from Mrs. Baird’s Bread factory, and deliver it to food banks and other community organizations that then distribute the food to the needy.

A gratifying and emerging topic of study in medicine and sociology has good news for this couple and others like them. Stephen Post has summarized the findings in a recent book. “Why Good Things Happen to Good People.” Volunteerism, it turns out, has beneficial effects on those who volunteer! Sometimes, it seems, things work out just as we would want them to. Apparently, goodness has its own rewards. Among the benefits are a reduced level of stress and better medical health overall.

Now of course, just because one volunteers doesn’t mean that she will never become sick. But in medicine, we always try to improve the odds of having good health. We know, for instance, that not everyone who smokes will develop lung disease – we do know, though, that not smoking improves the odds of having good lung health.

Fortunately, the patient’s test was just fine. An adjustment to one of her medications helped her feel better. The test, by the way, was done on a Friday.

If you have a comment or question about this blog entry, email Dr. Roffman at drroffman@cs4seniors.com.
Dr. Joel Roffman has spoken to many church, synagogue and support groups. His book, Coping with Adversity: Judaism’s response to illness and other life struggles is enjoyable, uplifting and informative. It is meant for people of all faiths and can be viewed at www.copingwithadversity.com. It is available at Barnes and Noble, Borders, and Amazon.com.

Make it Happen Monday

All over the USA, Seniors are using their years of experience and knowledge in a servant leadership capacity in their communities. They are volunteering their services when needed. On Mondays we are looking forward to sharing the stories of some of these "make it happen" senior volunteers along with interesting volunteering opportunities.

Why Volunteer?

Seniorcitizenjournal.com is an interesting website that you might enjoy. One of the topics Dr. Elrod has addressed is the benefit of Volunteering. Here is his article:

Voluntarism is one of the most sterling qualities of the American culture and lifestyle. Persons seek out all forms of volunteer activity. The variety is beyond listing, differing somewhat from region to region, enabling the expenditure of as much or little time as one wishes to give.

A review of volunteer activities available in your area is the logical place to start. But there are preliminary questions you need to answer in advance of taking the effort to seek out some compatible voluntary role for yourself. These questions are:

• What are my major interests? In what field would I draw the most satisfaction from volunteering my time?
• How many hours a day/week, etc. am I willing to offer?
• How far am I willing to commute to be a volunteer?
• After choosing a volunteer activity, how long do I give it to determine it really satisfies my needs and I am meeting their expectations?

Having asked those questions and found some resolution to them, the next step is an interview with the agency or program you have chosen. In this case questions can and should be directed both ways. It will be this step that will help you to evaluate whether the program or institution is just right for you. If not, readily admit that, thank the interviewer for their time and move along.

The advantages of volunteering are varied, just as the places where you might volunteer are.

Deciding on the type of voluntary involvement will determine many of those advantages, however there are some generic ones as well.

If you have chosen a hospital or some medical group with which to work, this may bring you direct rewards to do something perhaps you have wanted to do all your life. It will certainly raise your empathy level for both patients and professionals, when discovering what daily experiences come out of those settings.

Perhaps you enjoy literature, history, and all the combinations of things that go into being attached to a library. Here, the human interaction may be less, but intellectual challenges more.
Assisting in working with persons with handicapping conditions is another of the experiences which teaches patience, respect, and offers opportunity to learn more about certain health conditions.

It is perfectly okay to have goals greater than just wanting to help. The more personal satisfaction a volunteer draws from his/her efforts, the more energy and interest he/she will want to pour into it.

Dr. Jerry Elrod
http://seniorcitizenjournal.com/category/seniorcitizenjournal/

Saturday's with Dr. Roffman

Each Saturday, Dr. Joel Roffman, MD, a prominent Dallas cardiologist and author will share meaningful experiences he has had with patients who are dealing with a variety of physical and emotional issues. You will find the manner in which they deal with life’s problems to be practical, inspirational and uplifting.

A Show of Faith

Elaine was so happy – after a long illness, she was finally able to drive again. Her heart and other vital organs were now improved, and after a long illness, she was gaining mobility and strength. She was spiritually renewed as well, grateful for the ability to be able to get around by herself.

“What do you plan to do?” I asked. I thought Elaine would tell me that she would celebrate by taking a trip to see relatives, or more modestly, just going about town. “I’m going to start a transportation ministry in my church,” she replied. It seems that there are a number of people- the elderly, the infirm, etc. – who would like to attend church services and functions, but who have no means of transportation. Often, they are too embarrassed to ask for help, and their names come to be known only if a friend or relative mentions it.

Elaine was determined to seek these people out, seek out additional volunteers, and get to work putting these two groups together. Could there be a more worthwhile use of Elaine’s time and energy?

In Jeremiah (9:23-23) we read,
This is what the Lord says: Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom; Let not the strong man glory in his strength; Let not the wealthy man gory in his riches. But only in this should one glory: That he understands and knows me, That I am the Lord, who exercises kindness, justice and righteousness on earth, For in these I delight.

Elaine understands that the choice is not between faith and deeds. For it is by our deeds that we express or faith.

If you have a comment or question about this blog entry, email Dr. Roffman at drroffman@cs4seniors.com.
Dr. Joel Roffman has spoken to many church, synagogue and support groups. His book, Coping with Adversity: Judaism’s response to illness and other life struggles is enjoyable, uplifting and informative. It is meant for people of all faiths and can be viewed at www.copingwithadversity.com. It is available at Barnes and Noble, Borders, and Amazon.com.

Make It Happen Mondays

All over the USA, Seniors are using their years of experience and knowledge in a servant leadership capacity in their communities. They are volunteering their services when needed. On Mondays we are looking forward to sharing the stories of some of these "make it happen" senior volunteers along with interesting volunteering opportunities.

Local Museums

One of my most broadening and enjoyable experiences was becoming a docent at the Dallas Museum of Art. My time with them was brief because I went back to school to learn more about art history, learned how to use a computer for digital imaging instead, and then started teaching Photoshop to seniors! However, I wouldn't have wanted to miss this experience!

The DMA (http://www.dm-art.org/index.htm), like most large museums, has many ways to you can become involved and help out. As they say:

"Looking for a meaningful and rewarding way to make new friends and help the Museum at the same time? Become a Dallas Museum of Art volunteer!"

As with most volunteering opportunities, you do make interesting friends and learn a great deal as well!

Here are some of the options this particular museum has to offer:

The Visitor Services Desk

The Visitor Services Desk is the gateway to the Museum. Volunteers greet visitors, answer questions, give directions, and sell exhibition tickets. Opportunities also exist for those interested in assisting with membership sales.

Late Nights

The Dallas Museum of Art seeks volunteers with excellent people skills to assist with the award-winning Late Nights series. Late Nights occur the third Friday of each month from 6:00 p.m. to midnight and are free to the public with paid admission to the Museum. Visitors enjoy live music, tours of the collections, performances in the galleries, and more.

Go Van Gogh

Go van Gogh® brings art programs to Dallas-area elementary students. Programs consist of thirty-minute slide presentations followed by thirty-minute art activities.Training takes place every Friday in September (from 10:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.) and once a month from October to April.

Volunteers are asked to give programs two mornings a month during the school year. They travel by van with a Museum staff person to area schools. The Go van Gogh® program also participates in area festivals such as ArtFest, Cinco de Mayo, and Imagination Celebration. No training is required for these events and the time commitment depends on the particular festival.

Docent

This program involves a large time commitment. If you don't have that time you can volunteer for something less strenuous and check it out from that perspective.

The website says, "The desire to communicate the power of art to others is the main requirement to become a docent. After completing a yearlong training program consisting of lectures, gallery talks, and workshops led by Museum staff and outside experts, docents conduct weekly tours for groups of visitors ranging from elementary school students to international dignitaries. All Dallas Museum of Art docents may train and conduct tours of the Nasher Sculpture Center in addition to their commitment to the Dallas Museum of Art program. We are not currently accepting applications for the docent program. Information will be posted when recruitment for a new class begins."

Wherever you are you almost certainly have access to a museum, large or small, and most of them would just love to have your help and support!

When asked about volunteering, Jimmy Carter said, "Throughout my life, I've seen the difference that volunteering efforts can make in people's lives. I know the personal value of service as a local volunteer."

Saturday's with Dr. Roffman

Each Saturday, Dr. Joel Roffman, MD, a prominent Dallas cardiologist and author will share meaningful experiences he has had with patients who are dealing with a variety of physical and emotional issues. You will find the manner in which they deal with life’s problems to be practical, inspirational and uplifting.

God’s Helper

Ed was in a bit of a hurry to finish his appointment with me – the visit was delaying him from his work. Oh, not that kind of work. You see, Ed had retired from Mobil Oil some years ago. He was now a volunteer driver for the Cancer Society, transporting patients to and from their doctor’s appointments and their treatments when they had no other means of transportation.

Ed is now 71 years old and fortunately is still in good health and quite mobile. He retired a few years ago and spent the first few years of his retirement trying to find things that would fill his day. He certainly has some other hobbies and interests – he enjoys golfing with his buddies and seems to always be in the midst of one carpentry project or another.

But Ed felt as though he needed something else – something that answered a calling. He had never been involved with volunteer activities, but was asked by an acquaintance one day for help. It seems the friend was already a bit weakened by his illness and felt that the day’s chemotherapy treatment would leave him too weak to drive home. Bingo! Ed found his niche. Before he knew it, he was an established volunteer for the Cancer Society, helping to bring patients to and from appointments.

“I’ve never had time to do any volunteer stuff, doc,” Ed told me. “This is something I like doing and that helps others.”

A rabbinic story tells of a man who bemoans the state of the world – a world filled with suffering and sorrow. Filled with anguish, he asks God, “Why don’t you send help to all these people who are sick and in need?” “I did,” replied God, “I sent people like you.”

If you have a comment or question about this blog entry, email Dr. Roffman at drroffman@cs4seniors.com.

Dr. Joel Roffman has spoken to many church, synagogue and support groups. His book, Coping with Adversity: Judaism’s response to illness and other life struggles is enjoyable, uplifting and informative. It is meant for people of all faiths and can be viewed at www.copingwithadversity.com. It is available at Barnes and Noble, Borders, and Amazon.com.