MOHAVE COUNTY, Ariz. – A 71-year-old from Fort Mohave, Linda Smith, does not want to just sit around and wait to die, nor does she want that for the seniors of Mohave County. She wants them to stay active, go to school, even earn money.
“Seniors have a lot of options they may not even be aware of,” Smith said. “I’d like to make them aware that they have options. They don’t have to just sit home and be isolated and bored.”
There’s no way she would ever do that, she said.
“I’m now in my third year at Mohave College in Bullhead City. I don’t think seniors are aware they can take college courses at Mohave College for half price. They can go back to school, get a degree, or just take a few classes. They don’t have to stay at home and be lonely.”
Not only does this active senior go to school, she has started her own business, IT Tech Solutions, where she provides mobile computer and technology assistance to seniors and others who are technologically challenged.
For the past several years, Smith has also served as the scheduler for Veterans in Motion, a non-profit organization that provides free transportation to veterans and seniors in the Bullhead City area.
Smith said she is also very active in her church, St. Margaret Mary Catholic Church in Bullhead City.
“We feed the homeless every Friday; they do it three times a week, but I help them on Fridays. We serve about 50 every Friday.”
She said the homeless they feed are all ages groups, but she’s starting to see more older people too.
“They lose their mate, which cuts their income in half,” Smith said, “and they can’t make it on their own.”
She’s hoping this article about her active lifestyle will help seniors who find themselves in that situation, even seniors who may just be sitting at home bored, lonely, feeling abandoned or isolated, think about all the options available to them in Mohave County.
She believes in staying active and wants to encourage other seniors to do the same.
“My hope is to encourage seniors to continue learning, remain active in their communities, use the skills they have developed throughout their lives, and consider opportunities such as part-time work, start a small business, volunteer, mentor, or even barter their talents and services.”
“There are a lot of options for seniors. I want them to know that.”
