Date of Service - May 21, 2011

Time spent - 2 1/2 hours 10am-12:30pm

Total hours - 49 1/2

Action: After remembering my volunteering hours to the week prior, I decided after setting up tables for today's activity, that I would go up to Bridge Haven and spend some time with the residents there. I wanted to see if they would remember me. In my head, I doubted the fact, because they would be on the first floor if they didn't have Alzheimer's. The lady I talked to the most - Eleanor - said that she did remember me and said my name. I was shocked at the fact that she knew who I was and that she even remembered my name. I then talked to the caregivers on why she was on the floor with all the residents with Alzheimer's, and they told me that she sometimes forgets things.

Next action: Katelyn told me that next week I could help anyone after setting up tables. So I want to help out the kitchen staff

How am I doing? If I can stay in an Alzheimer's patient's mind for a week, I believe I am making a great impact on Alma Via, because I found the fact that Eleanor remembered me to be absolutely amazing. I seriously doubted that she would remember me and that she would even recognize me. Today I didn't spend so much time on the first floor, because I really wanted to get to know the residents in Bridge Haven. I also realized that it's hard to work up there, because the caregivers are on-call 24/7.

Date of Service - May 14, 2011

Time spent 2 hours 10am-12pm

Total hours - 47 hours

Action: Today, I decided to get some exercise, and ride my bike to Alma Via. I also decided to come a little bit early so that I'm not tired when first interacting with the residents and setting up tables. As I saw Katelyn emerge from her car, I walked in with her as she gave me instructions on how to set up the chairs for Wii bowling. I said that I had remembered from my first few weeks of volunteering. After instructing the elders on how to play, I went up to Bridge Haven and helped out some of the caregivers.

Next action: I couldn't find Katelyn as I was leaving, so I told John (front-desk assistant) that I was heading out

How am I doing? I am doing well, as I went on my trip up to Bridge Haven, some of the residents (those who I sat and talked to for about an hour) didn't recognize me, I felt a little weird on whether or not I should approach them, because these residents are those with Alzheimer's and I doubted that they would remember me. As I suspected, they didn't recognize me, but I told them that I was there a couple weeks ago and I was talking to them. Some said that I looked familiar, but I think that was just them being nice.

Date of Service - May 7, 2011

Time spent - 5 hours 10am-3pm

Total hours - 45 hours

Action: Today, Katelyn had saved the newspapers for us to distribute throughout Alma Via, and her and I raced around all three floors leaving the papers folded a certain way so that they stay on the residents' doors. After handing out about 100-150 newspapers, I set up the tables for poker, and when I went into the recreational area, I had seen that the tables I had set up last week were still up, so mentally checked that errand of my list.

Next action: No instructions were given to me as Katelyn was working up in the third floor, with all the patients with dementia. I am not allowed in there, so I left.

How am I doing? Today I realized that although Katelyn has been watching me when I tackled new obstacles and activities, her oversight had been fading as the weeks have past. I took this as a "she trusts me" and that I have been doing a good job. Katelyn has told me over and over again about how impressed she was with me, the only problem was that I was a little quiet in the beginning of the first few weeks I was volunteering, and that I am also a little quiet in the morning. I don't disagree, but I wish I could be more vocal in the morning, I realize that it's due to me being tired.

Date of Service - April 29, 2011

Time spent - 5 hours 10am-3pm

Total hours - 40 hours

Action: As I have reported last week, after Katelyn instructed me to set up tables, and set up the other table in the recreation are for puzzles, I decided if Katelyn wanted anything else done besides me calling out bingo numbers. She said that I had asked on a perfect day, because she had to staple little monthly booklets for the residents, (sort of an "Alma Via newspaper") she said that if I didn't finish by today, then it would be ok, because she could just finish them once I left. After she taught me how exactly to staple, fold and stack them, I got right on it. After about an hour of this repeated process, I had finished, so I tried to find Katelyn and tell her the news. She was impressed. I asked if I could help hand them out, but it wasn't the start of the new month, so I asked if I could hand them out tomorrow. She said yes.

Next action: As I have said in the entry, Katelyn and I are going to run around Alma Via, handing out the monthly newspaper.

How am I doing? Today, for me, there wasn't as much interacting with the residents as I would have hoped, but I am happy that I tried something new for me to do. After I had finished with the newspapers, I saw some of the residents that I see daily, and they greeted me, and I to them. I feel that I have grown a lot since I first started, because I am more comfortable around the residents than I was at first.

Date of Service - April 22, 2011

Time spent - 5 hours 10am-3pm

Total hours - 35 hours

Action: Today, Katelyn was waiting in front of the front desk today, and told me to set up in the recreation room where the residents could assemble a puzzle. I expected the puzzle to be a regular square less than 500 piece puzzle, but the puzzle was of a background and the shape of a puzzle related to the puzzle picture (ie: a chicken shaped puzzle with the picture of a rural background. After I had set up the table and had laid out all the pieces to the puzzle, I realized she had also told me to set up tables for bingo. After the residents started pouring in to play a game of bingo, I decided to stay and call out the numbers. I could tell that the residents were really into bingo as they placed their money in order to bet who would win first. After seeing this, I asked Katelyn why they would need money, if everything in the retirement home is free, she told me that winning money helps improve their self-esteem and that sometimes they go on trips to the mall.

Next action: Next week I plan on doing something different, and help out the care givers after doing the errands Katelyn tell me to run.

How am I doing? The residents seem now to recognize me, they don't ask why I'm there and what I am doing, they just seem to know my name and that I am a volunteer. At first I would get a little irate after all the residents would ask the same questions about why I was there, my name, and what I was doing. At first, I thought that these questions would arise almost everyday, because of their aging minds, but to my surprise, after one day, most would remember the answers to the questions the day prior.

Date of Service - April 15, 2011

Time spent - 5 hours 10am-3pm

Total hours - 30 hours

Action: I guess Katelyn came early today, because she was there before I was, but I didn't know that, because while I was walking around (I thought she was running late again) I saw her walking into the recreation room. I went up to her and asked what she wanted me to do. She told me that after setting up tables for bingo and such, I could roam around and ask others I they needed help. Once again, I set up three tables in three rows with six chairs to a table. After my tasks had been completed, I asked the kitchen staff if they needed assistance. After being told that they didn't, I went up to Bridge Haven, and there I asked if they needed help, again, no. After the rejection of my assistance, I went to the first floor to interact with the elderly, but they were playing bingo. I didn't want to disappoint Katelyn and see her catch me doing nothing, so I went to Bridge Haven again and played a trivia game with the elderly there. They didn't seem to really care about the questions I would throw at them, so I decided to converse with them and figured out that both of them were of filipino origin. One of which looked like she was irish. I also met another delightful elderly woman who seemed as if she belonged on the first floor, because she would interact back when I asked her a question and she seemed to really remember her past very well.

Next action: Today was my last day at the retirement home as a volunteer for my senior project, but I plan on visiting again, because it is a real joy to feel like I just brightened someone's day.

How am I doing? I believe I did well, Katelyn told me that every thing I did was exceptional, except that I was a little quiet when I first arrived. I can't argue with that logic, because I stepped out of my comfort zone, which was a little awkward at first, but I seemed to have a positive impact on the residents and staff.

Date of Service - April 8, 2011

Time spent - 5 hours 10am-3pm

Total hours - 25 hours

Action: As I walked in, Katelyn was next to me and told me to set up three tables in three rows with 6 chairs per table, because the residents like to play bingo for money which I thought was kind of funny. Shortly after I arrived to set up the tables, I met this lady named Virginia who was an elder volunteer. She seemed kind of bitter at first, I guess because she doesn't like other volunteers there. I ignored her. After, Katelyn called me up to her office so that she could fill out my mentor forms and just to ask me questions of how I'm liking volunteering so far, how are the residents and questions just so that she could get to know me more. After the "questionnaire" she told me that I would have to get my picture taken so that I could have a name tag to make it official that I'm a volunteer there. After she was having my name tag printed out, we had lunch, which is free for me. Upon being thirsty, I asked for a coke, because I thought I was entitled to a soda, but the "head chef" (I guess) was really bitter about giving out soda, because he said that "too many people ask for coke." So being the nice man he is, one of the caregivers gave me a soda under the table so the "chef" wouldn't see. After lunch, another journey to Bridge Haven and I played bingo, once again, with the residents there.

Next action: Katelyn doesn't really tell em the plan for the next week, because she seems a little too busy for that. But I think I'm going to be doing the same thing as this week.

How am I doing? I think that every one there except for the "chef" and the elder volunteer enjoy my presence and think that I'm a real help. The guests, though skeptical at first, seem to like having a young soul around to interact with them. I believe I have bonded with many of the guests, especially Rosemary, who I learned I ninety-two years old. She doesn't look a day over eighty.

Date of Service - April 1, 2011

Time spent - 5 hours 10am-3pm

Total hours - 20 hours

Action: Katelyn, again, was a little late today, I believe more than the week prior, so I walked around, greeted the guests (I've met more than i thought I would have and remembered their names) and asked the kitchen staff if they were in need of assistance. I also asked the same question to the caregivers, but they all smiled and said "no thanks." After Katelyn had arrived, I started off by finishing what I did last week and alphabetized the DVD's, which seemed to be a little harder than I thought, because there were more boxes or movies that I missed. After dividing the movies into alphabetical order, I started to start them neatly onto the shelves, when I was done, we ate lunch which was then followed by going up to the third floor of the building and interacting with the residents there. After Katelyn had gathered the things she needed, I went onto a trip to Bridge Haven and there I played bingo with the residents again.

Next action: Katelyn did not tell me what I was to do next week, when I left, I just told her that I'd be going and I left.

How am I doing? Though Bridge Haven isn't as active or exciting as the first floor, I still enjoy my time with the elderly, because it feels good to spend time with hem. Today a man came in and started talking to one of the patients with dementia and she didn't know who he was, but that he looked familiar. I later learned that the man who came in was the son of the woman with dementia.

Date of Service - March 25, 2011

Time spent - 5 hours 10am-3pm

Total hours - 15 hours

Action: Katelyn was running a little late today, so I walked around and greeted the guests by name (the ones I have met). After Katelyn had arrived, she instructed me to set up tables for an activity later on in the day and to also alphabetize some DVD's that were just shoved into shelves. I started playing scrabble with three other residents and I helped Rosemary, Gertrude and Kelly. Rosemary was like an expert at it, because she would try (and succeed) to get the most points in one try. After a very friendly game of scrabble, we all had lunch (which I don't get to spend with the elderly) followed by going up to Bridge Haven to call out the bingo numbers. While spinning the bingo number holder, I have seen that too much force when spinning the wheel makes them shoot out from the backside, and I accidentally hurled a number at a guest with the bingo spinner.

Next action: Katelyn did not inform me on what I would be doing next week, but I believe I'll start off with an activity with the guests and then I'll be going up to Bridge Haven again.

How am I doing? I've tried to converse with the residents at Bridge Haven, but some of them are hard of hearing, so after one question, they'll pretend like they heard me and just stare. For the most part, I don't think the mind my presence there and I found that bingo really seems to soothe them. Today I have also learned that the elderly are divided by floors, the first floor is all of the elderly who don't have any mental problems, the second floor, Bridge Haven with is those with dementia, and the third floor, those with Alzheimer's or maybe worse.

Date of Service - March 18, 2011

Time spent - 5 hours 10am-3pm

Total hours - 10 Hours

Action: Though last week I followed Katelyn, she made me follow her again in order to learn more about the retirement home building, I once again helped set up for Wii bowling, putting chairs in rows and learned that some residents actually prefer to have a chair on top of another chair or a pillow or two for back support. During Wii bowling, the elderly were constantly forgetting which buttons to press. After playing the Wii, I helped out over at Bridge Haven and met many nice people who didn't really know what was going on. After about four to five games of bingo, I went back downstairs to help out the kitchen staff.

Next action: Katelyn said that next week she'll start to ease off and let me initiatively do something or help some elderly people out with various activities or other things.

How am I doing? I believe that I am becoming more and more comfortable as each day passes. I have met many more residents and I was surprised to learn that many residents from the week prior remember me and exhibited the same pleasant attitude. The elderly have said that having me as a volunteer for the nursing home has been a real delight.

Date of Service - March 12, 2011

Time Spent - 5 hours 10am-3pm

Total Hours - 5 hours

Action: Following my mentor, Katelyn, learning the ins and out of the retirement home building. I also helped set up a table in which the elderly used to play various games such as bingo and later on used to play scrabble and cards. After the elderly were finished playing games, I helped clean up the rec. room and then after, I went up to this part of the building called "bridge haven" which is where residents with Alzheimer's and dementia live and I played bingo with them.

Next action: Katelyn has told me that next week she plans on me doing the same thing, but instead of starting off with bingo, she plans on starting us off with Wii bowling.

How am I doing?: Today was a little awkward for me, especially with me being so shy. I tried interacting with as many residents as I possibly could. I met some of the elderly that were very nice and said that they don't get many young volunteers there. I really enjoyed spending my time to assist the elderly, but they seem to not need as much help as I suspected.