(Left to right) Victoria Toro, Lillian Dellis and Alice Jaworsky share the many positive experiences they have had at HANAC’s Harmony JVL Older Adult Center. Photo courtesy of HANAC
Aug. 21, 2024 By Athena Dawson
Aug. 21 is World Senior Citizens Day, a day to celebrate seniors and increase awareness of the issues that affect older adults. To mark the occasion, QNS spoke exclusively with three inspiring local women who continue to make a difference in their communities while embracing the journey of aging with grace and vitality.
The seniors, Lillian Dellis, 85, Victoria Toro, 70, and Alice Jaworsky, 79, all have bright personalities and active lives that they attribute to their time spent at the HANAC Harmony JVL Older Adult Center.
HANAC is an Astoria-based nonprofit that works to provide housing and social services to seniors and other vulnerable populations.
The ladies shared that their time at the older adult center has allowed them to find community and ignite newfound passions.
Dellis said that since she retired in 2012, she has found solace in volunteering with community service organizations. She works with AHEPA Daughters of Penelope to support domestic abuse survivors. “I feel very good about doing this. I was very surprised with how many women needed help,” she said.
For Jaworsky, her passion lies in books. She said that when she joined HANAC in 2011, she realized the center’s library needed some TLC. Since then, the library has amassed thousands of books. “I found my calling, and now we have over a couple of thousand books. I organized it little by little and now I think we’re on par with the Queens Public Library,” she said. “We even have book sales because we’re constantly getting donations.”
Alice Jaworsky, 79, shared that she loves upkeeping the library at HANAC’s Harmony JVL Older Adult Center. Photo courtesy of HANAC.
The trio spoke about how HANAC has allowed them to build a network of connections, something they say is vital for seniors’ mental health.
“It’s very easy to slip into a depression and get stuck. I experienced it first hand,” said Toro. “There’s so many activities with this center; every day, there’s something else to do. I’m learning new things. How to play cards and games, exercises I have never thought of doing. Here we have elderly people older than me that do exercises better than me.”
Toro said she joined HANAC in 2021 after dealing with a bout of isolation. At the time, she had just retired from her decades-long career in social work at Beth Israel Hospital.
“I’ve come to conclude that HANAC is my home away from home,” said Jaworsky. “We go on trips, we have parties and I take pictures.”
The trio offered some pearls of wisdom for the younger generation.
“Don’t be stagnant,” said Jaworsky. “Just keep going and learning things. We‘ve got people here in their late 90s. They are our inspiration.”
Dellis and Toro agreed, saying to stay open-minded and not be judgmental. “Sometimes, the younger generation tends to be a little judgmental. They see an older person and they don’t understand sometimes that we do have a lot of answers,” Toro said.
The ladies emphasized that youngsters need to treat seniors with respect.
“I don’t say the elderly because we feel young. We feel good about ourselves. We are young at heart,” said Dellis. “Seniors should not be treated like they’re out to pasture and they’re gone. I’m here and I know what’s going on.”
“People tend to lose patience with the elderly and their relatives. I would say don’t get so frustrated when approaching and speaking to an elderly person. Reach out to the elderly, your grandmother, your grandfather, your parents,” said Toro.
Jaworsky added that seniors should not be sidelined due to their age.
“Our motors are running; you can’t put us in the corner. We’re not gonna sit there, and we’re gonna come out fighting,” she said.
Lilian Dellis, 85, said she has a ball at the center’s dance parties. Photo courtesy of HANAC
The ladies reminisced about some of their favorite experiences at HANAC, which often included legendary dance parties.
“What stood out to me was last year when the [NYPD] community affairs commissioner came, he was a fantastic dancer,” exclaimed Dellis. “I started dancing. He took off his jacket, and we danced together while everybody roared.”
Toro said all of the little things add up to a great experience.
“It’s hard to pinpoint one particular thing. But I love the bingo, that’s the highlight of my week. I do chair yoga, dancing and singing,” she said.
As for Jaworsky, it is the people who work at HANAC who stand out to her.
“I love the social workers on the premises. We have people just doing social work, and I think being able to talk to a social worker is important,” she said.
Victoria Toro, 70, said that having a community within the center has brought her out of isolation. Photo courtesy of HANAC
Sophia Pajaj, program director at HANAC, said the ladies are also actively involved in advocating for programs at the center and sharing opinions about the facility.
Dellis is the president of the center’s advisory board, and Jaworsky and Toro are active members.
“Once a month we meet and go over topics. Their opinions are very appreciated and we take it into consideration into implementing new programs or improving existing ones,” Pajaj said.
Pajaj emphasized that the center fosters a dignified community for seniors of all backgrounds, offering events, healthcare and supportive social services.
“We create a supportive community where participants form meaningful connections and reduce feelings of loneliness. [The seniors] wake up in the morning and tell me, ‘we have something to look forward to, we have a place to go where we feel like we belong’, Pajaj said. “It’s rewarding to see how these programs contribute to their happiness and well-being.”
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