Art with the Elders

These are the butterfly art that we made

After we set up for their movie night

So since Cristel and I had to catch up on our second equity volunteer set of hours, we volunteered on Wednesday after school for 3:20-6:20. It was a good thing to switch up the hours because we got to do different things with the residents. So when we first got there, the activity director and another volunteer were already there to help us learn how to make the butterfly art shown in the picture. After Cristel and I learned how to make them we went out and joined the residents. It was really really fun to help the residents learn how to make these butterflies. It reminded me of helping my little cousins with their art projects. I enjoyed it because they enjoyed it. The activity director always tries to make sure that none of the residents are just cooped up in their rooms all day. She makes sure that they get active and social and have fun with fresh air. It was so much fun seeing them look at their finished product because they seemed to have really liked it. When we told them that they could either hang it on their room door or in the window of Nikki's office, they were so excited to have their own butterfly on the window. It was so cute because after we hung up the butterflies they all stood back and looked at their work, looking accomplished!

After we were done cleaning up from arts and crafts time, we set up the chairs in the activity room for the elders movie night. This was one thing that I noticed the day that Cristel and I went in for the orientation, that the elders get a movie night every night! And Cristel and I looked at the movies that they had, and the movies were not old boring movies.. they were the new movies that had just come out like 27 Dresses and Happy Feet. It was a good thing to know that they actually chose fun movies and not old black and white movies just to say they have a movie night. If you can see in the picture with the chairs set up, in the corner there is an old school popcorn machine. They do use that for the residents to have popcorn along with thier movie. Since we left around 6ish we couldn't really get a picture of the residents because we didn't want to disturb them with the flash of the camera.

After we set-up the movie night chairs, we went in the dining room to go and chat with the residents. This is another thing that I love about this elderly home, the fact that they give us so much time just to chat and get to know the residents. I feel this is what the volunteers should be doing. I am comparing this home to another one that I worked at last summer, where you barley ever chatted with the residents and they made their volunteers do a lot of office work that people should be paid to do. This home has a lot more residents up and walking around and they are always in a good mood. I really enjoy working here because the 3 hours go by so fast and we don't get stuck doing busy work, we actually are able to see the life that the residents have and communicate with them. The equity problem that Cristel and I addressed was Eldery Abuse, and here they are the total opposite. They make sure the elders still continue to live their life and enjoy with company from others. I really enjoy volunteering here and can't wait to go back!