Wow there is great response this week what with 11 volunteers joining us in a day filled with lots of laughter and joy:) Our new volunteers Carolyn , Christin, Kee Teck, Nanjun joined us with our very dedicated Eric, Sharon, Esther,Michelle,Teck Ee and Meng Kwee.
We started off with the usual handicraft activity which is stencil painting. Wow, the response for the handicraft has improved tremendously as more elderly are interested in joining us in the activities. Previously aunty Ah Eng who declined to participate has actually joined us! Hee, clearly, aunty Ah Eng who always look forward to our group singing session actually decided to join us when we assured her that there will be volunteers to assist her as she is paralysed and she can't move her right hand.
Hey don't play play and underestimate AS volunteers' singing prowess. I think we sang so well that there is a deluge of request for group singing. After clearing up for the handicraft, we proceeded to level 3 and sang all the way down to the ground floor.
We had a great day today singing to the elderly and seeing them immersing in the happy and dynamic atmosphere. Most importantly, they appreciate the fact there is group of volunteers who care for them to sing in the late Saturday afternoon. They applaused and some sang with us. Thinking of this, we must learn more songs lest they feel bored. Hee, with the guidance of our senior volunteers, we gonna learn more new songs. :)
Sunday, April 30, 2006
Saturday, April 22, 2006
Singing Session on 15 April 2006
It's fun and laughter when we did the singing session on 15 April... With 3 of our new volunteers, Carolyn, Christine and Wan Jun. Teck Ee led us to an action song, sounds like "lula lula huh??"... The old folks just laughed along coz we looked like "All Saints Idols"! huh ;)
This sat. marked the 2nd service for the new volunteers, which they experienced more befriending, chatting with the old folks, listening to their stories and... We all had fun playing ball throwing with some of the active folks. One uncle even have strong arms and throwed the ball hard on Wan Jun, but our soccer girl took it well.
Carolyn and Christine enjoyed themselves and learnt from their 2nd week of volunteering experience... It's only the beginning of a new journey, a very meaningful one!
Sunday, April 16, 2006
Monday, April 10, 2006
Volunteering Orientation on 8th April 2006
Introduction
On Saturday 8th April, we welcomed our very first group of volunteers who attended the Monthly Talk on Volunteering at the National Community of Social Service. To all new volunteers: You have taken the first step to a more meaningful life in making a positive impact to our lonely elderly at the home. We look forward to seeing you and hope you can join us in more meaningful and exciting activities at All Saints Home.
Handicraft and Singing Activities
Our experienced volunteers namely Teck Ee, Edmund, Eric, Tian Chee took the new volunteers around the home and introduced the elderly. Whereas, Meng Hwee, Ser Hui, Winfred and I assisted the elderly in the handicraft activities which is held every alternate week. This session, we have a compact CD player playing some oldie songs. Special credit must go to Eric who took the heavy compact player all the way from Jurong. We had real fun painting with the music playing in the background. Some elderly even sang while painting. After the handicraft session, we went around the home starting from level 3 (as usual) and serenaded the elderly with some old songs. Ok. I admit we sang out-of-tune. But hey! At least some elderly enjoyed it and even sang along with us. :) This week, much to our shock, one elderly reacted very strongly during the sing-along session. It was an emotional release for him. Hope he felt better after that.
Sharing Session
After the activities, we proceeded to the reading room for a short meeting to gather feedback. Some said that it seem superficial to touch the elderly and chat for a few minutes and proceed to another one. Actually, we only chat for a few minutes during the orientation so as to introduce more elderly to the new volunteers and to show them around the place.
Initially when I first started volunteering, I felt the same way until a memorable incident changed my perspective and got me into thinking on how to make the volunteering session much more impactful.
I was chatting with a gregarious aunty for about 40 minutes when from the corner of my eyes, I noticed another aunty who was sitting 2 beds away looking at me as if she yearned to talk to me. I decided to talk to her after I finished. Alas, when I wanted to chat with her, she went to sleep. I felt guilty after that. I wondered how many elderly I can chat with for a day. How to make it more impactful such that all the elderly know that there is a group of volunteers who want to befriend them? How not to hurt other elderly's feeling?
There are different personalities at All Saints Home. There are the extrovert, introvert, sporty and musically-inclined elderly. I then realised that it is possible to make a positive impact although at the present there are only about 10 regular volunteers to about 170+ elderly. That is when group activity plays a very important role in ensuring more elderly benefit from our presence. Wow, perhaps your singing can so impress the elderly that they want to befriend you. Or like what Eric said, treat this singing session to practise our vocal chord.
After much discussion, we planned that from 2.30 to 3.30 pm, it will be the befriending session whereby volunteers visit the elderly and chat with them or play ball- throwing. You can chat for as long as you want. Sometimes I think it also depend on the affinity you have with the elderly. Some can be so engrossed in chatting that you forgot the time. Then from 3.30 to 4.30 pm, it will be group singing session. It is one thing that they look forward to.
More volunteers also implied that there will be much more activities for the elderly. For example, a new volunteer suggested pottering which I think is quite a good idea. Can you envisage on every Sat, there will be a group playing cardboard game, another indulging in handicraft activity, another group singing and many more? This vision can be achieved with more volunteers joining us.
On 8th April, the atmosphere is really different with so many volunteers. It is much more dynamic and energetic. Thank you to all the volunteers. You have made the elderly's day!
On Saturday 8th April, we welcomed our very first group of volunteers who attended the Monthly Talk on Volunteering at the National Community of Social Service. To all new volunteers: You have taken the first step to a more meaningful life in making a positive impact to our lonely elderly at the home. We look forward to seeing you and hope you can join us in more meaningful and exciting activities at All Saints Home.
Handicraft and Singing Activities
Our experienced volunteers namely Teck Ee, Edmund, Eric, Tian Chee took the new volunteers around the home and introduced the elderly. Whereas, Meng Hwee, Ser Hui, Winfred and I assisted the elderly in the handicraft activities which is held every alternate week. This session, we have a compact CD player playing some oldie songs. Special credit must go to Eric who took the heavy compact player all the way from Jurong. We had real fun painting with the music playing in the background. Some elderly even sang while painting. After the handicraft session, we went around the home starting from level 3 (as usual) and serenaded the elderly with some old songs. Ok. I admit we sang out-of-tune. But hey! At least some elderly enjoyed it and even sang along with us. :) This week, much to our shock, one elderly reacted very strongly during the sing-along session. It was an emotional release for him. Hope he felt better after that.
Sharing Session
After the activities, we proceeded to the reading room for a short meeting to gather feedback. Some said that it seem superficial to touch the elderly and chat for a few minutes and proceed to another one. Actually, we only chat for a few minutes during the orientation so as to introduce more elderly to the new volunteers and to show them around the place.
Initially when I first started volunteering, I felt the same way until a memorable incident changed my perspective and got me into thinking on how to make the volunteering session much more impactful.
I was chatting with a gregarious aunty for about 40 minutes when from the corner of my eyes, I noticed another aunty who was sitting 2 beds away looking at me as if she yearned to talk to me. I decided to talk to her after I finished. Alas, when I wanted to chat with her, she went to sleep. I felt guilty after that. I wondered how many elderly I can chat with for a day. How to make it more impactful such that all the elderly know that there is a group of volunteers who want to befriend them? How not to hurt other elderly's feeling?
There are different personalities at All Saints Home. There are the extrovert, introvert, sporty and musically-inclined elderly. I then realised that it is possible to make a positive impact although at the present there are only about 10 regular volunteers to about 170+ elderly. That is when group activity plays a very important role in ensuring more elderly benefit from our presence. Wow, perhaps your singing can so impress the elderly that they want to befriend you. Or like what Eric said, treat this singing session to practise our vocal chord.
After much discussion, we planned that from 2.30 to 3.30 pm, it will be the befriending session whereby volunteers visit the elderly and chat with them or play ball- throwing. You can chat for as long as you want. Sometimes I think it also depend on the affinity you have with the elderly. Some can be so engrossed in chatting that you forgot the time. Then from 3.30 to 4.30 pm, it will be group singing session. It is one thing that they look forward to.
More volunteers also implied that there will be much more activities for the elderly. For example, a new volunteer suggested pottering which I think is quite a good idea. Can you envisage on every Sat, there will be a group playing cardboard game, another indulging in handicraft activity, another group singing and many more? This vision can be achieved with more volunteers joining us.
On 8th April, the atmosphere is really different with so many volunteers. It is much more dynamic and energetic. Thank you to all the volunteers. You have made the elderly's day!
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