If you are in need of a great time, look no further than the Ave Maria Home. When I walked in the door, there was a parade of seniors being led by a gentleman celebrating his birthday in a crown. “I am the king today!” he proclaimed as walked around the corner to the Social Services office.
I was met by Sam, a social worker at the house and a Volunteer Odyssey alum. Sam reaffirmed my feelings about the entire Volunteer Odyssey process: you will meet the right connection if you are putting yourself out there during the week of volunteering. When she found herself at a crossroads, this was the networking boost she needed.
Sam gave me a tour of the facilities while we discussed her line of work, her experience with Volunteer Odyssey, and how she found herself in this job shortly after. We stopped and talked to different residents as we walked through, all eager to show off their living quarters. This was aging with pride. Sam explained they can be as independent or dependent as they wanted (or needed). There were people who lived in apartment style rooms, and those who lived in a more traditional nursing home setting. No single person being treated the same. The care I saw from the nurses and staff was all individualized, not to mention, everyone knew each resident’s name. When family visits become few and far between, these familiar faces become the resident’s family. The staff takes that to heart.
Lunch is served!
My tasks for the day were simple, yet meaningful. First I had the chance to visit with a resident as the rest of the house returned from the parlor. A beautician came in to the house today and the ladies were lined up. It was a nice to see some pampering for the residents limited to the facility.
The first resident I visited with was a well-traveled woman who had a story for every single photograph in her room. She looked longingly at the photo of her husband and told me about his time in the Air Force. When possible, he would bring her to the places he was flying, and she reflected on the time they spent seeing the world together.
After lunch of a “spot on” grilled cheese provided by the amazing staff, I sat down to do manicures for two women who may as well have been on vacation. They talked about going to the salon in the morning and making jewelry in their room. One went out to lunch with her daughter earlier in the week, and they shared their excitement to hear the live music from the block party happening at the neighboring church. As I painted their nails, they told me about the roads that led them to where they are today. Every single resident in that story has decades of timeless experience to share with those who make the time to listen.
Time for manicures.
If you want to hear a great story, visit the generation who have lived it all. Stories of flying around the world or playing sports as a professional athlete abound. One resident told me how she came home from winter break at secretarial school and told her dad she was never going back. Instead, she enrolled in a business course and had an opportunity to take a job typically held by a man when people were drafted for war. She spent her entire career at that same company and retired as a department head..
My time spent at the Ave Maria Home today gave new meaning to the phrase, “Respect your elders.” I should be so lucky as to have such rich life experiences to share with the younger generation when I’m their age.
Thank you for reading! Like what you read? Megan Banaszek is searching for a job in the non-profit sector where she can use her Family Services degree and public service experience to make a positive impact in Memphis. …. Contact her at meganbanaszek0123@gmail.com or jobleads@volunteerodyssey.com.
If you like our work, please DONATE to keep it going!
Want the insider story and more pictures? Connect with us on Facebook and Twitter!
