Volunteering At The Nursing Home

Social inclusion is about involving everyone in society, making sure all have opportunities to work or take part in social activities.

Volunteering at the Mary Manning Walsh Nursing Home over the summer was an invaluable experience. As I became more comfortable, I began extending my duties beyond physical tasks such as serving food or transporting residents. I started interacting with the residents on a more personal level, not as a volunteer, but more as a friend. In return, the residents became increasingly open, and the nurses watched as I conversed with residents they had deemed as reserved. Sometimes when I helped residents they would say nothing, but at the same time they said everything I needed to hear. I probably appreciated helping those residents, more than they appreciated me. Every night when I went to bed, I felt I had actually made a difference. This volunteering experience allowed me to realize that whatever I do in life, I want to go to sleep feeling the same way I did that summer.

The focal point of current educational trend in the United States is on preparing the leaders of tomorrow (National Task Force, 2012). Student success has been expanded to include civic responsibility which is a dimension of the college experience largely ignored until recently (Upcraft, Gardner, & Barefoot, 2005). The Department of Education has taken this charge and developed the National Task Force for Democratic and Civic Engagement. This initiative places developing civic responsibility as a national priority based on the tendency of young people who are often too caught up in ‘narrow collegiate worlds’ of their own existence to understand the larger role of being a contributing member of society (Upcraft, Barefoot & Gardner, 2005). Thus, engagement as a participating citizen living in community is frequently beyond the scope of young student leaders in college. Due to this, the government has renewed its interest in creating civic-minded young people prepared to advocate for change. This has led the charge for a civic engagement initiative nationwide.

I signed up to volunteer at a local nursing home. Because my father works there, I have been there many times before. However, volunteering there was very new to me.

An inclusive environment is a condition where everyone has an opportunity to fully participate. In education, this means everyone has the same opportunity, there should be no borders such as ethnicity, gender or disability. All students should feel valued, be able to mix and participate with all members of the group be in a safe and positive environment.

In my community many people do not understand the struggles of kids with serious illnesses and the financial and mental toll it has in the parents. To have more understanding of the problem I encourage people to volunteer at hospitals to gain more knowledge about the problem.

Civic engagement is the ability of an individual to be a lively part of the community by participating in the success of American society currently and in the future (What Is Civic Engagement, 2000).Volunteering at Girls Inc. has helped to develop the combination of knowledge, skills, values and motivation, which are all purposes of civic

When I began my Civics class, thinking it potentially difficult and boring, I did not initially look forward to this project. However, as I did each activity, I found myself enjoying each and every one. From sitting in a board meeting to collecting trash, I discovered something new in all of the ways I volunteered. Not only did the people I volunteered for gain something through my service, but I feel that I gained a lot as well.

I ambitiously decided that I would brighten the lives of the elderly by volunteering at a rest home, but discovered that the elderly were being neglected, shoved aside and forgotten. As I stepped into the home a pungent odor penetrated my nostrils, causing an instantaneous gagging reflex. The place was abounded with neglected and subdued inhabitants, yearning for attention. Anybody that passed them caused a sudden outburst of ranting. The negligence and disregard the home displayed appalled me, but helped me to realize that I wanted to make a difference and change the condition people live in.

In the 2012 Presidential race, Former U.S. Senator Rick Santorum defeated former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney in the statewide Republican caucuses. Romney was declared the winner by 8 votes on caucus night. Every vote counts and by ignoring to vote, you are neglecting what previous generations have fought for the rights to do. Equally important, is protecting this beautiful country by enrolling for the army and fighting for it. The millions of Americans who have sacrificed their lives did it for a reason, and it was so other Americans could live peacefully. In addition, I believe volunteering should be a responsibility for all. Without nonprofit volunteering organizations, my family would have had an even harder time adjusting to the new country. With the help of them, they offered a temporary shelter and necessities, such as clothing and food, for my family. It’s an important task to encourage and inform adolescents to volunteer, as a result we can create confident young adults who have seen the worse and are willing to keep America great. Giving back to your community is a never ending cycle that is a very important

The people who volunteer benefits as much as those receiving the assistance do. Tells how civic engagement and volunteering is defined. Base on the article it says that civic engagement and volunteering is the same thing (Martinez 25). The examples of civil engagement is activities, skills, and experiences. Volunteering traditional has declined over the years. According to the articles most people most people ask about formal volunteering and informal activity. Informal volunteering works is an emotional well-being and physical. The definition of volunteering has become a major factor of civic engagement (Martinez 25). According to the paragraph about Wilson he defines volunteering as something that time is given to a person that benefits them freely (Martinez 26). Private domain for women are not often looked at in volunteering. It indicates a rate on whites and blacks of their volunteering over the years. Whites has the highest rate then blacks. It also refers to the lowest rates. Another paragraph refers to formal volunteering. It tells that the person who’s volunteering in something will need time and motivation (Martinez 27). Last paragraph explains the reason why older people do not volunteer and percent outside it (Martinez 27). The patient who has family members that are able to get involved into volunteering may benefit them as a therapeutic (Alespch 13). The benefits also comes with better physical function

The cultural experience that I decided to participate in was volunteering at a nursing home. Hospice centers focus on the care of chronically or terminally ill patients. Volunteering at such a center would require training and certification and a clean bill of health. Nursing homes require similar training for some forms of volunteer service, however there are other options available that still allow direct interaction with residents. I chose to volunteer at the LakePoint Nursing and Rehabilitation Center that is located in my hometown. My goal was to directly engage with the residents there so that I could better understand their experiences and overcome my feelings of discomfort.

By making civic competence a central aim, the curriculum can emphasize the importance of educating students who are committed to the ideas and values of democracy. An understanding of civic ideals and practices is critical to full participation in society and is an essential component of education for citizenship. For example since civic competence has to rests on the commitment to democratic values, it requires that citizens have the ability to use their knowledge about their community, nation, and world to derive solution and solve real problems.

Discussing about volunteering to teenagers should be the first step for a better life, since teenagers are the future of tomorrow and they will leave a mark from yesterday. Volunteering has been such an important matter, that schools in many countries around the world established that 12th grade students will need certain hours of community service in order to graduate. But the frequent answers all the schools are getting are “Why do I need to volunteer? I have better things to do!” What people are forgetting is that each one of them is part of a community, a community that is not perfect and that the government sometimes forgets about their problems or needs, because obviously the government needs to take care of other things that require more attention. People are not only helping others, they are also helping themselves (Volunteering).

Research demonstrates that volunteering is associated with active lifestyles and health benefits, particularly for older Americans. Volunteers not only help their community but also experience better health in their later years, enjoying greater levels of well-being, lower rates of depression and increased strength and energy. This finding is especially significant given current demographic trends. As our aging population increases – with almost one in every five Americans projected to be age 60 or older by 2030 – there is a great opportunity to engage older Americans in volunteering as a way to meet critical community needs while contributing to longer, healthier lives.