Ulrich Kellerer’s decades of success in the fashion industry by taking care that people look good on the outside, interrupted by an accident of his mother, who had to face the nursing home.

Ulrich invented as a volunteer a one hour reading session to this gentle old people. This changed and transformed him to take care that people feel good on the inside.

Doing readings from the “Chicken Soup for the Soul” series, Mark Twain and other attention grabbing short stories, he brings charm, entertainment, physical assistance and encouragement to a small audience (from 17-22) of people who average 83 years of age; one is age 95 and another is an incredible 107!

In his typical humble way, Ulrich relates astonishing tales of how these popular sessions, the most anticipated event on the nursing home’s calendar, have led quiet, insular, depressed elderly folks to open their hearts, share their personal stories and connect better with their visiting family members than they have in years.

And somehow, perhaps with divine assistance, Ulrich is helping to extend lives – perhaps due as much to helping with the cookies and water as the tales he reads! The average loss in the nursing home is one person a week, or 51 per year.

In his first year there, only four people in his group passed away – and after the first year, there have been no further losses!