Do you elders like it when a teen volunteers are your nursing home?

Question

Hello, I am wanting to volunteer at a nursing home. I am a good student and get good grades. I really want to help out my communtiy and people as well. It seems cool to hang with the old folks because you learn so many things, like wars, history and much more. I always imagine myself become friends with them and hang, talk, invite them over for dinner or holidays ( if you are allowed) it might sound geeky, but i have a heart of gold. My great grandma, inspired me to do this. she seemed when her family or people came to visit her. Now that she is dead, i want to make an impact on someones life.

some elders are mean to teens. i dont know why.

for you elders, is it cool that teens volunteer and want to help out in a nursing home??

would you ever hang with them and get to know them??

Answer 1

I think most people would like a visit from someone who is not doing it just because they are getting paid to be there.

Answer 2

first of all it is a great and noble thing you want to help out at the nursing home  i was what they used to call a candy striper when i was a teenager and i really enjoyed it and yes you can learn alot from the elderely.  no it isa not geeky to want to do this believe me there should be more teenagers like you in this worl;d today. after being a cnady striper i was a nurses aide for alomst 40 years and enjoyed it.  you go girl and have a good time  those elderly need company and have young people come into their lives    good luck  martha s

Answer 3

I'm not an elder but I know they love to have someone to listen to them and you do learn a lot.My Grandmother told me stories about the civil war as she was told by her mother.

Answer 4

i am definitely not an elder (im only 17) but i think that as long as you talk to them and make sure they want to talk it is a wonderful thing and they enjoy it. my grandmother is in a nursing home and every time i go there i take my two dogs. the people there like to come up and pet them and it really helps get a convo started. i would talk to some of the nurses because there are some there that can't carry conversations or get very distressed when they do (some of the topics could be very touchy to them even if they aren't aware, make sure you can handle the emotions that may come to the surface while you are talking to them).

if you do decide to do this and really want to learn history through this, i would take a tape player because i saw a thing where a kid talked about history and then turned it into a collection.

it is really great that you are wanting to do this. just make sure that residents are ready to talk. it may help if you take an animal such as a small or large dog or a cat with you to help get the convo started (medium sized dogs don't do as well because they can't be put on the beds or wheelchairs and are too small to be reached easily from a bed or wheelchair).

I hope you have a good time and learn something from this experience.