Volunteering Older Adults

Generally, social work is affiliated with the younger population or topics of abuse and neglect in the home. While this can be a vital part of the job description, social work is a diversified field with many other career opportunities. A social worker’s ethical job responsibilities are outlined in NASW Code of Ethics (1999). The following sections will review these responsibilities in relation to aging populations and a social workers practice.

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.

I love the idea of providing students with a variety of opportunities that would satisfy each student's needs. Whether its research, volunteering and community service, it all is provided here. The curriculum also allows for a great amount of flexibility enabling students to pursue these other interest that would make them very competitive for residencies. I have a great interest in practicing in underserved communities upon graduation, therefore every opportunity I get to volunteer in clinics and shadow physician in underserved regions is something I look forward to here at Western University of Health Sciences. Likewise, the diverse student body is great as each student come from various backgrounds and have unique experiences all of which

The reason that I believe that volunteer work and work in general is vital to success in the today’s world and society is because the generation that I am apart of is lack of a better term lazy.The motto of the entitled generation is procrastination is key. The most important part in forming a generation comes from the parents. The outcome of a generation’s attitude always leads back to the source (the parents). Volunteer work in present time is very important for the youth, but is equally as important for adults too. Some local organizations in Juneau are Love Incorporation, Helping Hands-Healing Hands LLC, Saint Vincent De Paul, and Southeast Alaska Regional Health Consortium (SEARHC). It is a non profit organization that provides health care for residents of Southeast Alaska. Saint Vincent De Paul is an organization that provides housing for low income families in Juneau, Alaska. Service is an essential

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.

My project relates to the course objectives twelve and seven this is because it talks about inclusion, in which all types of diversity are respected, appreciated, and valued in America. As well as the vital role of the people in creating and maintaining a society through voluntarism and civic engagement, a role that can complement and replace the role of the government ensuring the well-being of society. Civic engagement involves “working to form a distinction at intervals the civic life of one’s community and developing the combination of information, skills, values and motivation to form that distinction. It suggests that promoting the quality of life throughout a community, through every political and non-political process” (Erlich, 2000). Civic engagement includes every paid and unpaid style of political policy, environmentalism, and community and repair. Volunteering is one kind of civic engagement. Many of the nation’s volunteer’s group are youngsters. 59 percent of teenagers in the U.S. are recorded for their participation in youth volunteer. Most youth volunteers do so out of selflessness and by wanting to make a difference throughout other individual’s lives.

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

However, my thought was changed by the first sentence that the author stated “the effects of giving as we age are especially dramatic” (Huffington, 2015, p. 240). I realize that this is about the love of giving afterward. When we are giving, we are also spreading and sharing love with others. Moreover, I feel when we are little as a kid, we tend to give more than we are in the older age; maybe this is why children are always happier than adults. The message from this section sticks out to me because of the statistical findings shows that more than 75% of the employees who had volunteered said they felt healthier; more than 90% said volunteering had put them in a better mood, and more than 75% reported experiencing less stress (Huffington, 2015, p. 241). I have no idea there are many benefits when we give or volunteer until I read this message. I believe I can use this to improve my relationships with others by volunteering in the community such as help the elders or the children and affect others to give as well. A relationship can be built up by giving, which also gives me the opportunities to become friends with others. Moreover, giving expands my relationships within the social

Reminiscing to 2010, when I was faced with my grandmother 's illness during the adolescent years in my life I knew that I had a passion to care for the elderly (aging) population. From this passion, it ignited a fire so strong that I pursue my certified nursing assistant certification to gain a better understanding of working with the elderly population. By doing so, it has been a great benefit to my life; aging is an inevitable experience that we all will go through during our life. It is important to ensure that our elderly individuals are still able to enjoy the best quality of life after retirement. However, as we age, there will be a lifestyle change that the aging population must encounter.

Chapter 1 introduces the argument for examining informal eldercare and offers a glimpse into the lives of diverse informal elder caregivers. The chapter provides a brief introduction to the theoretical perspectives that frame this proposal, ethics of care or care ethics, Black feminism and critical race feminism perspectives. The chapter also poses questions as to why this proposed study should proceed to the next phase, as well as, its significance, limitations, and delimitation. In addition, it provides the definition of terms to enlighten readers who are unfamiliar with aging and eldercare terminology. Chapter 2 will contain the review of related literature and research related to the problem being examined, whereas chapter 3 will furnish

The activity theory states that “staying active helps with aging and well-being in later life” (Gish, 2014). According to the news article “seniors are smarter about fitness than they were at a younger age” (Luke, 2014). This verifies that seniors are taking physical activities into consideration when looking towards attaining good health. Compared to previous generations seniors are now incorporating physical exercise, social work and other activities to insure good health and a decent lifestyle. Seniors are getting involved in the community and volunteering. This allowed them to stay active and also get social interaction with members of their own or other communities. The article states how “Canadians 65 and over volunteered an average of 223 hours in 2010” (Luke, 2014). This all ties into the context of the activity theory, which is a way of effectively aging by staying active. Seniors nowadays are taking physical activities and exercise more serious than ever before. The article also states how “As you get older, exercise becomes a little bit more intelligent,” she says. “You’re looking at what your body needs and at different modes of exercise that fit with how your body has aged” (Luke, 2014). The article discusses an individual who at the age of 70 is still teaching yoga classes and when asked about she relishes about being a senior she replied “it’s the freedom to grow, to

To be honest, this week’s readings indeed opened a door for me to realize my limited background information about the aging field and to grasp pieces of its real appearance. Four required articles focus on different aspects, among which the one named “developing an older adult volunteer program in a New York Chinese Community: An Evidence-based Approach” attracted me most. Reasons are as follows.

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.

Do people and life get better as they become older? Seniors could possibly look forward to retiring after investing more than half of their lives on a particular job. However, do they imagine sitting down and resting for the remainder of their lives? Older adults have a new perspective about getting older these days. Baby Boomers, especially, will sustain their youth and they view aging much differently than their parents did in the past. Hopes of traveling, physical exercise, hobbies, and even sports are continued interest in the continued future for older adults (Rehr & Mellor, 2005).

Allyene, Sonia, ed. "Volunteering Helps You, Too." Black Enterprise 37 (2007): 74. Academic Search Premier. EBSCO. Benedictine University, Naperville. 2 Apr. 2008. Keyword: volunteering.