A Family Medicine resident at the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital, Dr Dorothy Hanson, has brought smiles to elderly patients at the Geriatric Clinic through a kindness initiative dubbed “Flowers for Our Treasures.”
The initiative, held at the Geriatric Clinic of the Korle Bu Polyclinic, saw 10 elderly patients receive bouquets of flowers and cash gifts as tokens of appreciation.
The gesture was accompanied by words of encouragement, kindness and affection, creating a warm and cheerful atmosphere at the clinic.
Dr Hanson, who is currently undertaking a rotation in geriatric medicine, said her interactions with elderly patients had deepened her appreciation of the need to care for older people beyond their medical conditions.
According to her, ageing is a journey that deserves not only medical attention but also recognition, dignity, companionship and love.
She explained that the initiative was conceived to remind elderly patients that they remain valued members of society.
For Dr Hanson, the flowers represented more than gifts, carrying a message of appreciation and affirmation to the beneficiaries.
“You are valued. You are appreciated. Your life matters. You are still a treasure.”
Although this was the first time she had undertaken the initiative at the Geriatric Clinic of the Korle Bu Polyclinic, Dr Hanson said she had previously carried out similar acts of kindness in other settings.
She said her passion for bringing joy and encouragement to people continues to motivate such initiatives, adding that small acts of kindness can create lasting positive impacts, particularly for people who may sometimes feel overlooked or forgotten.
Dr Hanson is therefore calling on individuals, groups and organisations who share her vision to partner with her to expand the initiative and reach more people.
She noted that partnerships could also support efforts to improve the physical space and capacity of the Geriatric Clinic to provide a more conducive environment for elderly patients.
Dr Hanson stressed that while the flowers presented to the 10 selected patients were modest, the message behind the gesture was significant: growing older should never make anyone feel invisible, forgotten or unappreciated.
Ghana|Atinkaonline.com|Mavis Fantevi
