Volunteering at St. Luke's Eldercare

I am currently volunteering adhoc at St. Luke's eldercare where chat and accompany seniors during the day.

I initially signed up to volunteer at St. Luke's eldercare after missing my previous interactions with elders during my stint volunteering at Heartware. While the main focus during my stint with Heartware was to encourage active aging by educating the seniors about their phones, volunteering at St. Luke's was a whole different experience.

With the seniors at St. Luke's, I had to learn to strike up a conversation with any stimulus. Additionally, I had to be aware of everything that was going on around me. From helping seniors get to the washroom to being aware of their limitations and finding a way for them to take part in activities in spite of them, I had to develop a greater sense of empathy and awareness.

While it was not easy at first, it was a role that grew on me. Being someone that the seniors can rely on for help and companionship was something that drove me to do my best, even on days that felt like a slog. Seeing the smiles on the seniors was enough to make my day.

However, volunteering at the eldercare was not all sunshine. There were many times where a senior complained about being there and were unwilling to take part in the activities. This challenged me to convince them that there were pros to taking part and being in the eldercare. When they could not be convinced, I did my best to still accomodate to their needs and keep them company, focusing on other topics that they preferred such as the comfort of home.

All things considered, I am glad that I signed up to volunteer at the eldercare. Despite the new environment and challenges that it imposed, I am happy that I was still able to accompany the elders and develop stronger interpersonal skills.