{"id":18488,"date":"2020-02-12T16:54:22","date_gmt":"2020-02-12T21:54:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogbox.indianeagle.com\/?p=18488"},"modified":"2020-02-13T18:07:10","modified_gmt":"2020-02-13T23:07:10","slug":"forget-me-not-phone-call-program-san-jose","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.indianeagle.com\/travelbeats\/forget-me-not-phone-call-program-san-jose\/","title":{"rendered":"This Indian American Girl Offers \u2018Forget Me Not\u2019 Phone Call Program for Lonely Senior Citizens"},"content":{"rendered":"

These days, it is common to see teenagers hanging out on social media, glued to music on their phones, catching a movie at some multiplex, or chilling out with friends in their spare time. We do often blame technology for its detrimental effect on the Gen Y. However, there are always exceptions. A group of teenagers (15 or 16-year-olds), including an Indian American, use technology and spend time on phones for good reasons.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

These teenagers, including Indian American Anika Kumar and some of her high school peers in San Jose, hang out with senior citizens on phone rather than friends.<\/strong> They make phone calls to lonely senior citizens who have no one to talk or listen to them, on Monday afternoons. The calls help socially isolated elderly people speak out their minds, bare their hearts and heave sighs of relief from the burden of pent-up thoughts.<\/p>\n

\"Forget<\/a><\/p>\n

This phone call program for lonely, old people is Indian American Anika Kumar\u2019s humanitarian initiative, Forget Me Not in Santa Clara County, California<\/span><\/a>.<\/strong> A 17-year-old graduate of San Jose-based Notre Dame High School, Anika Kumar started Forget Me Not to put some roses on the withered cheeks of socially isolated senior citizens.<\/p>\n

Indian American Anika Kumar hit upon the idea of making personalized phone calls to keep the company of lonely senior citizens when she was 15 and volunteering at an assisted living facility.<\/strong> Her vision gradually led to \u2018Forget Me Not\u2019 in Santa Clara County. Today, 12 volunteers devote their time to interact with some 40 senior citizens every week.<\/p>\n

What kind of conversation happens between the lonely, old people and the volunteers of Forget Me Not in Santa Clara County? \u201cIt\u2019s meaningful, rewarding, refreshing and touching<\/strong>. The elderly talk about their interests, hobbies, families, bygone days, childhood, favorite books and movies,\u201d says Anika Kumar. The volunteers also help them become tech-savvy and social media-savvy. The joy it gives to them is simply immeasurable.<\/p>\n

Located in San Jose<\/span><\/a>, \u2018Forget Me Not\u2019 Phone Call Program is an intergenerational nonprofit organization. Like Rome, it was not built in a day.<\/strong> Anika did a lot of research on ageism-related issues like depression and the issues of social isolation to enrich her vision of helping the elderly in solitary confinement with company through phone calls. She approached many geriatricians and elder care experts to help her strategize the mission of Forget Me Not.<\/p>\n

More Interesting Stories of Young Indian Achievers\u00a0<\/strong><\/h3>\n