7 replies to this topic

[GilATM]

I work provide services to people with severe mental illness, and sometimes bring my telescopes to board and care homes. I did so again last night, showing Venus, Jupiter, and the moon. The experience seems to make quite an impression.

You might have to field some unusual questions about UFOs, or perhaps more troubling, people's insistance that they know secrets on the working of gravity, etc.. But there is a certain satisfaction to help people who often have very limited access to the wider world to see the universe in a new and positive light.

Try it! You might want to contact a local mental health clinic so they can introduce you and accompany you.

Gil
Ventura, CA

[killdabuddha]

What a wonderful idea. Never even occurred to me. Retirement homes too. I always just thought of the schools and the regularly hosted astronomy club public events. Maybe regular nights at the house. Thank you.

[GeneT]

Great idea. People of all types enjoy views of objects through a telescope.

[Skylook123]

There are several here in Tucson that our club supports, and I try to help out whenever I can. It is such a positive experience, and the residents are very appreciative of the opportunity. One of the facilities is now talking about a quarterly lunch and learn in the cafeteria, and it is amazing how receptive the residents are to hearing talks about astronomy, geology, weather, almost anything that we would consider "technical". If you can detune the hard science a bit a put it in terms they can wrap their consciousness around, they feel so good about finally understanding a concept that was a mystery that it helps their mental health, as well.

I did one last year where two handicapped senior residents remembered I did one for them FIVE YEARS before, they remembered our walk around the sky and moon and planet views in the scope, and thanked me for opening up their eyes to the night sky. It'll make your day, or night!

[killdabuddha]

Well Skylook,

To the lunch and learn that you mentioned, I know that if I ever get such an opportunity I'll be showing Brian Cox's "Wonders of the Universe," all 4 parts, because of the way the carefully selected material is presented. I've never seen such a well-produced coming together of astronomy and us. There's no room for discomfort because everything is beautifully expressed with the utmost awe and respect, even reverence. It's surprisingly tender, a real humanizing of science, and even a re-humanizing of us in a cosmological context. To use yer expression, the hard science has been beautifully and thoughtfully detuned, or rather fine-tuned in such a way that, without compromising or softening or omitting anything, we can appreciate and even delight in our part in all of it.

[GatorStarGazer]

Nice job Gil. It's wonderful bringing astronomy to those who normally wouldn't have an opportunity to observe. Our group did an outreach event at a Veteran's home last summer that was very rewarding for them and us. Many of the vets were unable to actually look through the eyepiece due to their various disabilities and poor eyesight, but they just loved watching us set up our scopes and talking about the night sky. They had some great stories too. One Navy vet reminisced about the pitch black skies and view of the stars while out in the middle of the Pacific during WWII. Another remembered back to his childhood, shucking peas under the light of the full moon with his mother. Great stuff!

We're hoping to go back this spring and share the night sky with them again.

Cheers...Eric

[Skylook123]

Well Skylook,

To the lunch and learn that you mentioned, I know that if I ever get such an opportunity I'll be showing Brian Cox's "Wonders of the Universe," all 4 parts, because of the way the carefully selected material is presented. I've never seen such a well-produced coming together of astronomy and us. There's no room for discomfort because everything is beautifully expressed with the utmost awe and respect, even reverence. It's surprisingly tender, a real humanizing of science, and even a re-humanizing of us in a cosmological context. To use yer expression, the hard science has been beautifully and thoughtfully detuned, or rather fine-tuned in such a way that, without compromising or softening or omitting anything, we can appreciate and even delight in our part in all of it.

The Brian Cox products are often discussed on the Stargazer's Lounge astronomy forums. These kinds of references are great for insight in how to accomplish Gil's objectives, along with the lunch and learn, or even evening, discussion sessions. Good to be reminded of the resource.

With the explosion of YouTube, there is a treasure trove of similar home grown commentaries in other disciplines, and then there is the Google search to find some educational snippets that are just waiting to be plucked. Passing the information on does bring postive results.

[Matthew Ota]

I get unusual questions and comments about flying saucers, alien abductions, cattle mutilations, and CIA/FBI surveillance from people at almost every outreach that I do. These absurd belief systems are not limited to people with severe mental illness. So called "normal" people can be just as misinformed as the rest.

There is to this day much prejudice in our society against people with mental illness. As we are to be as tolerant as we are supposed to be with people of color and other religions, we must be tolerant and understanding of people who are struggling with mental illness.

I work provide services to people with severe mental illness, and sometimes bring my telescopes to board and care homes. I did so again last night, showing Venus, Jupiter, and the moon. The experience seems to make quite an impression.

You might have to field some unusual questions about UFOs, or perhaps more troubling, people's insistance that they know secrets on the working of gravity, etc.. But there is a certain satisfaction to help people who often have very limited access to the wider world to see the universe in a new and positive light.

Try it! You might want to contact a local mental health clinic so they can introduce you and accompany you.

Gil
Ventura, CA