Since the start of PA school, I have not been able to volunteer as much as I used to, but this Labor Day weekend I have been able to volunteer 2 days in a row and again tomorrow for the JNP Home. As I have said before, I love volunteering for this home because it is always a different experience. Some days I get to chat with the residents for the entire 4 hour shift, sometimes its for only a few hours and sometimes I meet their families and get to know them really well. I love when I get to sit out on the back porch with a resident and just chat about anything, because I can learn so much from their life experiences. With interactive residents, they want to play games like Yahtzee or Uno, but this is not usually the case. They often request meals that I have never made before, which leaves me to learn more than just patient care while I am here. There are days where the residents are sleeping the whole 4 hours and I am just here to observe, give medications, and make sure nothing bad happens.
And then there are days like today, one of the residents is out and the other is spending some quality time with his spouse. It is priceless to watch them sit on the porch together feeding the chipmunks and taking pictures of them! His wife even made him a lunch, herself, in the kitchen here at the JNPH. She spends nearly every day here with him, because it looks like they are not just a couple, they are best friends and enjoy each other's company.
Its days like today, that even when I am not the one interacting with a resident, I can learn so much about patient care, Hospice, life, companionship and most of all, all the different types of love and friendship.
And then there are days like today, one of the residents is out and the other is spending some quality time with his spouse. It is priceless to watch them sit on the porch together feeding the chipmunks and taking pictures of them! His wife even made him a lunch, herself, in the kitchen here at the JNPH. She spends nearly every day here with him, because it looks like they are not just a couple, they are best friends and enjoy each other's company.
Its days like today, that even when I am not the one interacting with a resident, I can learn so much about patient care, Hospice, life, companionship and most of all, all the different types of love and friendship.