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Sunnyvale seniors get a day out on the town
By Gretchen Knaup
The sun was shining as birds sang in the trees surrounding Manor Care Assisted Living. From the outside, everything looked peaceful as usual, but once inside, there was tangible excitement in the air. For the residents at the Manor Care, May 16 was a big day, as residents strolled out into the lobby to wait their turn for a 10-minute ride in a vintage Model T.
According to Assistant Activities Director Edgar Mejia, most daily activities are held inside, with the exception of afternoon walks. As for going places, Mejia said, it's to the extent of a monthly trip to a restaurant. Therefore, with regard to the May 16 activities Mejia said, "They all seemed really excited to go."
Residents' eyes lit up as the car pulled into sight, in front of the lobby. Although everyone was more than ready to go, they had to be patient, because the car could only seat two passengers at a time. For safety reasons, a staff member had to ride along, too. So, two by two, residents climbed into the car for their turn at a ride. Upon arriving back at Manor Care, resident Clifford Bonhom said, "That was great; but it was bumpy!"
Manor Care Nursing Home's residents have been diagnosed as having Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, Huntington's Disease or some other related memory impairment. For some, a ride in a Model T possibly made them feel nostalgic for the past and brought back some distant memories.
"I had a Model T when I was a kid," Bonhom said. "Then, when I was about 9 or 10, then the big cars came. My parents got ... I think it was an Oldsmobile."
Patiently waiting his turn, resident Roderick Stocking, had a special relation to the car. He was born in the year the car was made, in 1915.
The 10-minute ride consisted of a route that Stoner planned out very carefully, in order to avoid any traffic. Although the streets were quiet, the ride was still quite an adventure. "We're holding on!" said resident Marge Schwalbe, as she cruised the streets.
Dave Stoner, who owns five vintage cars, has been giving rides in his cars for six years to elementary school children. "I think it's important that kids know about their heritage," Stoner said.
He recently started providing the service for senior citizens this year. "I felt an obligation to do it. It just seemed like the right thing to do," Stoner added.
Stoner keeps his Model T in mint condition, while maintaining it exactly the way it looked fresh off the assembly line. "It's very important to preserve the heritage of the vehicle," Stoner said.
According to Stoner, when he takes the car out, people on the road often stop to ask him questions at stoplights, or just give him a thumbs-up. "Cars like this bridge the gap between ethnicity, gender and age," Stoner says. "Everyone loves old cars."
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Sunnyvale, California Since 1994
