Date the Weekly Reflection was first submitted: 01/20/2020
Name: Josie Kilburn
Nursing Home: Signature Health Care Center
Date of visit:
Length of visit: 1
1. Tell us the names of the nursing home residents you visited, and in a few sentences describe one interesting thing that you learned about each.
I visited Marjorie Fiore. I learned that she used to live in Groton, CT and that her husband was a submariner. She even had a chance to go inside the sub one time.
We did a walk through and stopped to say hi to more people, but Marjorie was the one that we talked to the longest, and the only one whose name I caught.
2. During your visit with these residents, did you run out of things to talk about? If so, how did this silence make you feel? What were some of the highlights of your visit?
Since it was my first visit, I stuck with a group so we didn't really run out of things to talk about. When the residents seemed like they had had enough of the conversation, we moved on. My highlight was talking to Marjorie and learning more about her, as well as seeing the other volunteers interact with the residents and watching them get excited to see them.
3. In a few sentences, describe the atmosphere at the nursing home. Did you see anything that you found surprising? Was there anything that happened that made you uncomfortable? What things helped the experience to be enjoyable?
The atmosphere was actually more lively than I had anticipated. They had already eaten dinner, so there weren't many people in the common room, but even with the people we passed in the halls, everyone said hi to us and seemed friendly and pretty alert. It really helped tagging along with a group who already knew all the residents and the way around the nursing home.
4. Do you think you’ll be remembered by any of the residents next week? If not, does that bother you? What things help you to know you are making a difference whether or not you are remembered?
I didn't talk that much, so I wouldn't be surprised if none of them remember me. That doesn't bother me, though. I enjoyed seeing people's faces light up as they related stories from their past or asked about the volunteers.