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Volunteering is one of the greatest gifts you can give of yourself, and although you won't be rewarded financially, there is a great reward you'll receive just knowing that you've helped make a difference. It only takes one time to see the results of your efforts, and in turn your actions create waves of positive change.
Nursing home environments are one area that need a great deal of volunteers, for residents often get lonely and thrive from interaction with visitors. Residents who don't receive family visitors and room-bound individuals who have no outside contact especially benefit from the time spent visiting with a volunteer. Companionship not only boosts the mood but is actually therapeutic.
Whether you read to residents, talk to them, or simply sit quietly with them for a while, every minute you give them means so much. This is obvious on many of their faces that brighten up during such an interaction. You'll note how they respond to your efforts, and just a smile is all it takes to reach someone. Gifts such as flowers and candy are also welcomed, of course, because as we all know gifts are fun to receive. Gifts should be given the okay by your supervisor, of course, just to be on the safe side.
Even residents who appear angry, detached, confused or are suffering from such illnesses as dementia will react to the stimulation of another person. Some residents may be harder to reach than others, but each and every one of them is a human being, and human beings cannot survive without human contact. Try to remember that they once were as you are, and are still alive and have feelings despite their challenges.
Some residents who are mobile enjoy taking a walk with a companion, or perhaps playing a board or card game to pass the time. You'll find that many of them simply want to talk about their life, and are comfortable just having someone to tell it to.
Imagine yourself in a nursing home environment. As it is somewhat limiting for residents, surely you can imagine how much they look forward to visits from others. Volunteering can be easily arranged, usually with the activities director of a nursing home facility, and you usually have the freedom to set your own time to volunteer as long as it is in accordance with their visiting hours and policies.
If you want to volunteer but aren't sure where to start, pick up the phone book and look up the numbers for nursing homes in your area. One call is all it takes to change someone's life, and enhance your own. It is a wonderful feeling to know you've contributed to brightening someone's otherwise routine or dreary day.
Don't be afraid to give of yourself for you'll soon find that you are welcomed by many. The elderly have so much knowledge to share if you take the time to listen, and like anyone they need regular interaction. You won't regret volunteering in a nursing home environment, for there is more happiness born from such an experience than meets the eye. Touch the heart of someone, and you might be surprised just how much it touches yours.
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