Actress Avital Abergil Becomes an Elderly Companion to Ease Loneliness
Actress Avital Abergil, formerly a star of "The Good Guys," has added another title to her résumé, elderly companion, in order to ease loneliness. 2 View gallery Avital Abergil (private photo) "I have always been a caregiver at my core," she says in a conversation with ynet. "I still do everything together, both an actress and a painter. But I found another value, and I will use all the tools I received in life to support and create a meeting that eases loneliness."
Is this related to the war? "During the war I learned group facilitation and learned to play an Indian flute, which is an instrument that helps the soul a lot. At first I accompanied people more by phone, and I accompanied the women I photographed as part of my other title, painter. During the war I went out to get some air and played the flute, and that caught the attention of the elderly people who were there too. There I thought it was a wonderful idea, and I am a multidisciplinary artist, so why not?"
Abergil, who starred more than 20 years ago in the legendary series "The Good Guys," is celebrating her 49th birthday today. Since then, she became a mother to 14-year-old twin daughters, and added the name Abbi to her own. So you are no longer an actress? "The work I choose to do is to find a way to make a dignified living and still give my gifts in many places. My last role was a year ago in an American film. Life brings us all kinds of things, we can fight with them, or we can see the opportunities that develop even when we do not exactly have what we want. We do not need to give up our dreams when we understand that we are on the way."
How does it work in practice with the elderly? "I take them outside for an hour. During that hour I listen, and it is very important to see them and listen to them. In Western culture, the village elders have become invisible. They have so much life experience and wisdom, and it is a kind of injustice that is inaccurate and unfair. Once a week I meet them, create, and tailor each meeting to the person."
