As we go about our daily lives we navigate roads and cities, we order food from menus, research information online, go to work, text our friends and family, and read books by our favorite authors. For many of us, all of the things I just mentioned seem routine. Now imagine you don’t know how to read or write. All of a sudden, those things sound very difficult.
As a recreation therapist at Brookside Lodge in Surrey, BC, my role is to help enhance residents’ quality of life through meaningful programs and activities. Our community is unique in that we have a large population of younger residents who have a high degree of independence, including Sukh, who has lived at Brookside Lodge since 2017. He was struggling with depression so we sat down with him to discuss what we could do to support his mental health. One of his requests was that he wanted to learn how to read.
Upon learning this, I assessed Sukh’s reading level and I quickly sensed how important this was to him. Since I’m not an English teacher, the next step was to determine how we could support him with his learning journey. After doing some research, I found out that our local library has a free adult literacy course called the Surrey Read Program. Readers must have a maximum literacy level of Grade 8 and rather than having a standard curriculum, they tailor their lessons to each individual.
This was about a year ago when restrictions made it challenging to go out into the community but thankfully, Sukh was able to connect with a tutor virtually. Each week I would check in with him and help him to get online for every session. His enthusiasm and dedication never waned. Since December 2021, Sukh hasn’t missed one session and he always looks forward to the next one. I also watched his relationship with his tutor blossom into a genuine friendship, helping him become more socially connected to the broader community.
His reading has progressed so much and it’s amazing to see how this is making his life better. He’s much more confident and continues to gain independence every day. Instead of asking someone else what’s for lunch, he is able to read the menu on his own. Instead of missing programs that might interest him, he’s able to read the activity calendar and choose what he wants to participate in. These are day-to-day things that we often take for granted.
When I was trying to figure out what to do with my career I originally wanted to work with children. Luckily, my first job was with seniors and I was astonished by their stories, successes and all that they had to offer in this stage of life. Sukh’s story is a wonderful reminder that it’s never too late to learn, try new things and achieve your goals. Now, I can’t even imagine working with any other population!
