Love for your grandmother.
Sahm & Liz
They met to talk about how they can help each other. ©Katarina Kojic
I saw Sahm and Liz sitting in the window of a cafe. I could tell they weren’t a couple, but wondered what connection they had to each other…. love of their grandmothers.
I wasn’t fortunate to know my dad’s mom. But I was very lucky to have my Oma, my mom’s mom, in my life until she was 97. She came from Germany to live with us for months at a time. She spoke only a few words of English: Milk, butter, “I want to watch tv” and “Indian conquer and defeat… let’s go big team we got the beat.” I was trying out for cheerleading at the time. She also enjoyed watching spanish tele-novellas. Probably because they were incredibly expressive and it was easier to understand what was happening that Donahue.
Name: Sahm / Liz Age: 29 / 32 Profession: Social Worker / Entrepreneur & Designer Nationality or Origin: Father from Bombay, Mom from Battle Creek, MI / Mom and Dad both from the East Coast
What is your relationship? Emerging professionals/Colleagues. How did you meet? EmergingAging.com When did you meet? Two weeks ago Love is…Everywhere in doses very small and very large (Sahm) Love is…Being a caregiver (Liz) What did you learn about love from your grandmother? Love requires self-discipline. (Sahm) What did you learn about love from your grandmother? Food is love. It shows that you care about someone. (Liz)
Emerging Aging is an organization that helps young people connect with one another to better serve older adults. It was founded by Sahm who says for the last decade of her life, his grandmother was the only supportive member of his family. She had a difficult life and was a tough woman, but through it all never lost her capacity for showing love.
Liz’s grandmother suffered a stroke at 88. Liz, returned home from her second year in med school to help care for her Nan during her recovery. At mealtimes in the hospital, rehab and hospice, her once independent, stylish and elegant grandmother was outfitted with ugly utilitarian bibs. In honor of her grandmother, Liz created Liz & Ett, fashionable apparel alternatives for use in the patient-care setting.