An old man’s knock on a door looking for his old employer sparked a chain of compassion. Thanks to caring strangers and the staff at the Elder’s Voice, who stepped in, the senior living with dementia was safely reunited with his loved ones and returned home, where he belongs.
Amanzimtoti, South Africa (03 June 2926) – Alone and quite a distance away from home, an elderly man recently found himself knocking on the door of a home in Doonside in Amanzimtoti, looking for his employer.
Only, his employer, someone who believed he must have worked many years ago, wasn’t the one who answered the door. The current homeowners did. Concerned for the man’s well-being, they called the Elder’s Voice KZN.
“Judging by his age, he must be in his late 80s. After gently speaking to him, we convinced him to come with us by promising him the payment he was so worried about receiving from his ’employer’. Bless his soul — that was all he was concerned about,” shared Elder’s Voice Founder, Joanne Herbst.
The man was taken to the old age home, given a cup of tea and was assisted by one of the caregivers, Wendy, who was able to communicate with him in Zulu.
“From bits and pieces of conversation, we managed to figure out that he lived somewhere in Illovo… but he could not give us an address.”
Joanne arranged for another caregiver to watch the residents so Wendy could accompany the man in an Uber to drive around the area he vaguely described.
“Armed with Wendy, a very patient Uber driver, his “promised payment,” and a prayer… I watched them drive off into the rain, wondering: Is there a family desperately searching for him tonight? Does he still even live in Illovo? Will we ever find his home?”
A little while later, a concerned Joanne received the photo from Wendy that made her heart absolutely melt. They had found the man’s family!
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Thanks to the family who answered the door to a knock from a man they didn’t know and chose to help him, everyone at Elder’s Voice who met him with kindness and gentle care, and the patient driver who helped him find his way back home, a man who may very well be someone’s husband, father, and grandfather is safe and back where he belongs.
For answering the door, offering a helping hand, and showing kindness when it mattered most, thank you!
Sources: The Elders Voice KZN
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