3 ms·

I've talked about it on here before, but I love volunteering in nursing homes for very selfish reasons. The people in there have lived lives. They may be out o

I've talked about it on here before, but I love volunteering in nursing homes for very selfish reasons. The people in there have lived lives. They may be out of touch but they know things. I talk with residents about my hobbies of woodworking, gardening, canning, hunting, fishing, and wild gathered food. I've learned WAY more with those conversations than YouTube or books could've ever taught me. It's absolutely worth your time. And nursing homes are always looking for people to spend time with the very lonely residents. Anyone with a hobby that isn't technology should do that.

dax_ 2y ago
That's really great - I imagine the people there also love sharing their knowledge, it gives them a feeling of helping too.
Dracophoenix 2y ago
In your experience, are bursts of violence or psychotic episodes from the elderly common? Every so often I read news stories of physical abuse against carers and volunteers, but I'm not sure of the actual frequency or severity of such cases or what protocols in place to mitigate them.
- Loughla 2y ago
  No. I have only seen what I would call violence once in the last 25+ years. Those stories tend to be over-hyped. I've seen countless residents with dementia yell randomly, but not be violent. My mother has worked in long-term care facilities for around 40 years, and has only seen one violent resident in that time. Care homes a) have protocols in place and b) can boot violent residents if they are unequipped to care for them. The people who are really, genuinely dangerous tend to be in very specialized care settings. Also the nursing home staff in the activities department can tell you which residents to work with, even on the special care units (Alzheimer's and dementia sort of things). They know the residents and know which ones are lonely, what their history is, and which ones will enjoy your company.

dax_ 2y ago

That's really great - I imagine the people there also love sharing their knowledge, it gives them a feeling of helping too.

Dracophoenix 2y ago

In your experience, are bursts of violence or psychotic episodes from the elderly common? Every so often I read news stories of physical abuse against carers and volunteers, but I'm not sure of the actual frequency or severity of such cases or what protocols in place to mitigate them.

Loughla 2y ago
No. I have only seen what I would call violence once in the last 25+ years. Those stories tend to be over-hyped. I've seen countless residents with dementia yell randomly, but not be violent. My mother has worked in long-term care facilities for around 40 years, and has only seen one violent resident in that time. Care homes a) have protocols in place and b) can boot violent residents if they are unequipped to care for them. The people who are really, genuinely dangerous tend to be in very specialized care settings. Also the nursing home staff in the activities department can tell you which residents to work with, even on the special care units (Alzheimer's and dementia sort of things). They know the residents and know which ones are lonely, what their history is, and which ones will enjoy your company.