Margot Wolf from the Schliersee Neighborhood Aid sometimes drives off herself to support the elderly.
Thanks to her Facebook presence, Wolf has also been able to attract younger helpers.
Schliersee
- Anyone who needs support in Schliersee and dials the number for neighborhood help usually hears the voice of Margot Wolf.
The native of Allgäu has been with the association and its second chairwoman for a good five years.
The pensioner also uses social media, such as Facebook, to provide information about the activities of the neighborhood help and stirs the drum to attract new helpers.
She found such important supporters in the Corona crisis.
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Margot Wolf from the Schliersee neighborhood help helps seniors in the corona pandemic
Ms. Wolf, you are helping people through the corona pandemic. How is it currently going? Who is calling you and asking for support?
A woman recently called in, she was unsure about walking and couldn't get out.
Then I called a helper who had time, now they go for a half hour walk every week.
What we also do: Our Mr. Beilhack goes to the table every Wednesday and fetches a lot of things and delivers them.
Or Mr. So-and-so calls from Neuhaus and says that he has to go to the special doctor's practice in Tegernsee.
We'll help then too.
And sometimes you drive out yourself.
Yes.
I recently got a call at 7 p.m. from a lady who had to be quarantined but still needed shopping.
Then I drove myself because I couldn't find anyone so spontaneously.
Who are the neighborhood helpers?
We have 25 helpers who look after our older roommates in Schliersee and offer support services for a small allowance.
Most of them are a little older, some of them retirees.
But it really is cross-bed.
Ten younger helpers came forward in the spring.
A young nurse, for example, or a helper who worked in Austria before Corona.
Back then, she went shopping once a week.
We also have a couple of men, which I think is great.
It is just important that we keep looking to get help.
This year I have had helpers again, they can no longer themselves.
How did you manage to attract younger helpers, especially in the spring?
I'm also busy on Facebook.
I write what we are currently doing or where we need support.
And repeated calls so that we can get additional helpers.
In the spring it was very gratifying that younger Schlierseers came forward and jumped in.
Is there more need for help in corona times?
It's not crazy anymore, but a little bit.
A few people who have done their shopping so far, that was too risky for them.
Shopping or visits to the doctor have increased.
The encouragement is also becoming more important.
For a few years now, our helpers have been visiting residents of the St. Elisabeth retirement home or the Unterleiten retirement home.
Unfortunately, we can no longer do that now.
But we pack them a bag and write a letter.
It's really awful that people are so lonely.
We just want to make them feel that we are there for them anyway.
How do you do that? What does the Schliersee neighborhood help offer?
We have a car that we can take to the doctor or go shopping.
We also do smaller household chores, but we don't do any nursing.
We have had a cozy and nice office on Rathausstrasse for three years.
Every Thursday afternoon we offer a café where everyone can come.
Just chat, unload problems or seek help.
It is really a shame that this cannot currently take place due to Corona.
What would she wish for in the future?
What I wish would be the thought of being there for the other even more.
Just have the feeling: this is my neighbor now.
I am lucky to have neighbors everywhere who are looking: Margot, can I help something?
Our slogan is “There is nothing good unless you do it” by Erich Kästner.
There is so much truth in it, it is more topical than ever.
But something is happening, you have to say that.
Because it can really happen so quickly that you need help yourself.
You forget that when you're young.
Interview conducted by Andreas Wolkenstein.
