Wisdom in those wrinkles

The hands might be rough and cracked; the eyes, dotted with specks and beads of tears.

Those ears might not hear too well. The mouth just might mumble.

But when you reach out to senior citizens, look them in the eye and shake their hands, all sorts of good things can happen.

September is designated by several tributes to seniors, including Healthy Aging Month. We confess to having been heartstruck by a column in yesterday's Press citing research that shows heavy drinking increasing among our senior citizens. Researchers conclude that at least in part, the heavy drinking can be attributed to loneliness and depression. And it might be grossly underreported because nobody's checking in on some of these people.

Around here anyway, let's change that. Let's reach out.

Making the effort to strike up a friendship with a senior citizen isn't simply a responsible act or even one of charity. It's mutually beneficial, as so many volunteers can attest.

Something as simple as a youngster's parent-supervised visit to a nursing home can reap great dividends all around. People who go weeks or months without ever having a visitor light up at the mere hint of a youngster's smile, and we maintain that there are riches to be gained when visitors ask about and listen to the lessons and anecdotes of another's lifetime.

Nobody deserves to be sad and lonely, least of all those who have spent so many years working hard, paying taxes, trying to improve their communities and leaving their children a little better off than they were themselves. Don't wait for a special occasion or holiday to reach out and make a new old friend. When you make that connection, it will quickly become a special occasion.