Volunteer Lifts Spirits of Caregivers, Patients at Donald W. Reynolds Institute on Aging
| When Susie Whittington stepped into the role of caregiver for an ailing adult son, she initially didn’t realize how challenging and rewarding this new chapter of her life would turn out to be.
“When I first started, I didn’t know what to expect,” said Whittington, a patient and volunteer at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) Donald W. Reynolds Institute on Aging. “There wasn’t enough information out there to train caregivers. And there still isn’t enough.”
At age 87, Whittington has become a spirited advocate for caregivers, providing guidance and support for those who need it. She shares her experiences in public speeches, and she is releasing a book, titled “Heart of a CareGiver,” that shows first-time caregivers how to find strength during times of difficulty — and how to find joy through the act of helping others.
“Caregiving is a sacred calling,” she said. “It will sometimes be ugly and nasty, but it’s also lovely and beautiful.”
Whittington’s education as a caregiver began with her son Jeffery, who died in 2018 after years of health challenges, including the effects of frostbite and a Stage 4 cancer diagnosis. It continued in 2021 with her sister, whose dementia had progressed to the point that she needed an increasing amount of day-to-day assistance.
“I learned so much from her,” Whittington said of her sister, who now lives in a long-term care facility. “She really needed someone to be there for her, and it taught me what caregiving is all about.”
Whittington said those experiences helped prepare her for the day in February 2024 when her husband of 65 years, Densil Whittington, was diagnosed with gallbladder cancer.
“That period when my husband was ill, it was such a trying and heartbreaking time,” she said. “But when he was diagnosed, I told him, ‘We’re in this together.’”
Whittington cared for her husband until Oct. 5, 2024, when he passed away at age 84.
Whittington has been a patient at UAMS for more than three decades. She said she has grown more involved with the Institute on Aging through the years, including some work on a planning committee in 2014.
During a visit to the institute last year, she walked through the lobby and noticed that no one was sitting at the front desk.
“So, I told myself, ‘I think I’m going to volunteer,’” she said.
On Wednesday and Thursday mornings, Whittington is now the first person whom patients see when they walk into the Institute on Aging. From her seat behind the desk, she directs them to their appointments and offers words of encouragement and comfort.
These interactions make a difference in the lives of patients and in the quality of their experience at UAMS, said Gohar Azhar, M.D., professor in the UAMS College of Medicine’s Department of Geriatrics and director of the Institute on Aging’s Walker Memory Research Center and Memory Clinic.
“Susie is a remarkable person who embodies grace, kindness, courage, and resilience,” said Azhar, who has been Whittington’s geriatrician for the past 10 years. “We are honored and feel privileged to have her volunteer at the Reynolds Institute on Aging — she radiates positive energy that uplifts all those who come into contact with her.”
On a recent morning, Whittington encountered a woman who was feeling overwhelmed after misplacing the ticket she needed to exit the parking lot. After the two searched around the vehicle but came up empty, Whittington comforted the woman and helped her resolve the situation.
Whittington said the woman then took a couple of deep breaths and noted that she felt at peace once again.
“That’s what life is all about — resuscitating one another,” Whittington said.
In recent months, Whittington has served as a guest speaker at several UAMS events, including the Institute on Aging’s annual Geriatrics Updates conference. She and Azhar were part of a panel discussion that focused on caregiving for patients living with cognitive disorders.
The two of them also participated in a pair of career seminars organized by UAMS Academic Pathways and Workforce Partnerships for students in the College of Medicine. Azhar spoke about the role of geriatricians, and Whittington encouraged the students to embrace their responsibility as providers of compassionate care.
Whittington said she hopes to find even more opportunities to support caregivers and provide them with the training they need.
“I see so many things that I can do,” she said. “It’s like my eyes have been opened to the needs of others. I want to do everything that is within me to help fulfill those needs.”
Whittington said she deeply enjoys her volunteer and advocacy efforts, and she urged other aging adults to remain active in the causes they care about.
“You just have to live your life and not your age,” she said.