For this episode I interview Leo Bock, a resident at The Village of Riverside Glen. Leo is relatively new to the building, having moved to retirement to be close to his wife who is being cared for in Long Term Care. Leo opens up about this stage of life, transitioning to living alone, but surrounded by other residents, navigating the social balance of trying to have meaningful conversations and build connections, while not being sure where folks' feelings on issues land and not wanting to upset or offend people. Leo was born in Israel, and came to Canada as a teenager, and he constantly watches the news in order to stay connected to his homeland, and to stay aware of the turmoil it is immersed in.
He's feeling the heavy reality of the myriad of issues our world is facing, and it's not an easy process, trying to find people to talk to, and to figure out if any other residents are also paying attention to the outside world to the same extent - so it was particularly special that Leo and I were connected with each other and made some extra space together for difficult conversations. This was a very valuable chat for me, and it is an incredible feeling to feel like you were able to connect and make space when it was really needed. Thank you Leo for being willing to be vulnerable with me!
This interview was originally recorded on September 5th 2024
