12th September 2015 - We still had some money left from the previous fundraising activities and thus used it to buy some supplies for the elderly who were in foster care. There were grannies and grandpas whose kids can no longer support them and thus left them there. It was nice to see that they had friends, but rather sad to know that visits do not come very often. We were more than happy to talk to them though, and with the entire class going there, we were sure to talk to each and every one of them.
Learning outcomes checklist:
1. Increased their awareness of their own strengths and areas for growth
I am usually not very social, especially when asked to talk to strangers, but conversing with the elderly feels a lot more comfortable. Maybe its their way of telling stories than makes it so nice to listen to, and made me feel less awkward as I did not have to say much to entertain them. I do however, realise that I need to be better at conversing with people of all ages, and should not be restricted to just the elderly.
2. Undertaken new challenges
I've never been to a foster home before, so this was a pretty exciting experience. I do get along with my grandma quite well, so talking to the elderly wasn't much of a problem for me.
I am usually not very social, especially when asked to talk to strangers, but conversing with the elderly feels a lot more comfortable. Maybe its their way of telling stories than makes it so nice to listen to, and made me feel less awkward as I did not have to say much to entertain them. I do however, realise that I need to be better at conversing with people of all ages, and should not be restricted to just the elderly.
2. Undertaken new challenges
I've never been to a foster home before, so this was a pretty exciting experience. I do get along with my grandma quite well, so talking to the elderly wasn't much of a problem for me.
5. Shown perseverance and commitment in their activities
We stayed in the foster home for quite some time, maybe 2 hours or more. It was really fun talking to them and listening to their stories, thus the commitment was genuine, and we personally considered it more as curiosity about what this old lady's life is about.
6. Engaged with issues of global importance
It is sad to know that old people are easily forgotten. Once you can't give much to the society, people tend to forget you. The senior citizens I met were very sad because they cannot do much with their lives, and they were forced to enjoy this new 'home' of theirs, which was rather crowded and full. When I first got in, the foster home was not as I imagined, and it was really different than how they portray it to be in western movies. There were no bingo games and barely any nurses. It was rather sad, actually.
7. Considered the ethical implications of their actions
Old people have a different way of thinking than us students, and sometimes talk about death rather morbidly. Knowing that they are very fragile beings, we made sure that we were polite and cheerful about the things that they worry about.
8. Developed new skills
I'm good at talking to my own grandmother, but I never knew that I would be good at talking to other old people as well. This was the first time going to a foster home for the elderly, and I knew I left a mark already.
We stayed in the foster home for quite some time, maybe 2 hours or more. It was really fun talking to them and listening to their stories, thus the commitment was genuine, and we personally considered it more as curiosity about what this old lady's life is about.
6. Engaged with issues of global importance
It is sad to know that old people are easily forgotten. Once you can't give much to the society, people tend to forget you. The senior citizens I met were very sad because they cannot do much with their lives, and they were forced to enjoy this new 'home' of theirs, which was rather crowded and full. When I first got in, the foster home was not as I imagined, and it was really different than how they portray it to be in western movies. There were no bingo games and barely any nurses. It was rather sad, actually.
7. Considered the ethical implications of their actions
Old people have a different way of thinking than us students, and sometimes talk about death rather morbidly. Knowing that they are very fragile beings, we made sure that we were polite and cheerful about the things that they worry about.
8. Developed new skills
I'm good at talking to my own grandmother, but I never knew that I would be good at talking to other old people as well. This was the first time going to a foster home for the elderly, and I knew I left a mark already.
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