Volunteer: Helping Seniors with MCI/Alzheimers

Fathom

Summer project. I volunteered for 2 months. Senior center. Help seniors with MCI (Mild Cognitive Impairment) and early Alzheimer's disease. Long term illness: no known cure. Early memory, thinking & behavior problems. 30%-40% depressive. No motor, sensory, or coordination deficits at mild stage. Seniors age 62 and older. Not looking for medical advice. Rather how to be a good volunteer working with mild, early stage MCI/Alzheimer's seniors? Do's & don't for volunteer? I'm young. Just finished 2nd year university. PM'd mods Gremlinertia, penguin88 & robinph. OK to chat about best volunteer practices. You help me. I'll help seniors. Please comment. Or suggest links. Or publications (you personally found helpful). Not just a generic list: I already have. 1st LTI post. Please go easy on me. Thanks members. Thanks mods.

Hugo Stiglitz

Fair play for volunteering, Fathom.

My mother used to volunteer with a local Alzheimer's centre. She found it tough at times but incredibly rewarding to make a small difference to their lives. She mainly helped out with the activities side of things: helping with bingo or crafts, but also with feeding occasionally. Given the nature of the disease, they could be unpredictable. During periods of increased confusion, they were prone to making escape attempts and often hurting themselves in the process.

In the end she had to give it up due to grandkids being born, but she, as a very sensitive soul, found it tough to see her own age there.

I wish you the best of luck with your volunteering, Fathom.

Kurtosis

Well done Fathom on volunteering, I hope it goes well for you.

If you haven't already done so it may be worth checking out the website for the Alzheimer's Society (www.alzheimers.ie) and the Dementia Services Information and Development Centre (www.dementia.ie) as they both have some resources available which may be useful, including guides for caregivers and nursing home staff such as this.

Best of luck with it.

Fathom

Good experience Hugo. Fine dementia link penguin. Thanks 2X

Fathom

Feedback. Most seniors greet me smiling. Remember me. They are so lonesome. Want company. All willing to do memory exercises. Play chess. Other board games. Anything to keep me there. My heart goes out to them.

Hugo Stiglitz

Fathom wrote: »

Feedback. Most seniors greet me smiling. Remember me. They are so lonesome. Want company. All willing to do memory exercises. Play chess. Other board games. Anything to keep me there. My heart goes out to them.

You're doing good work there, Fathom. x

Fathom

Hugo Stiglitz wrote: »

You're doing good work there, Fathom. x

New experience. Meaningful. Learning. Worthwhile.

Fathom

Last Summer 2016 Volunteer. Helping Seniors with MCI/Alzheimers. Just contacted by Senior Center. They want me back. Summer 2017. 2 month commitment. I've mixed emotions. Liked helping patients. But I've other commitments for Summer. Unlike last Summer. Others more related to my major. Hard to do both. Time crunch. I'm torn. Don't want to be selfish. But... Advice?

smjm

Fathom wrote: »

Last Summer 2016 Volunteer. Helping Seniors with MCI/Alzheimers. Just contacted by Senior Center. They want me back. Summer 2017. 2 month commitment. I've mixed emotions. Liked helping patients. But I've other commitments for Summer. Unlike last Summer. Others more related to my major. Hard to do both. Time crunch. I'm torn. Don't want to be selfish. But...

Advice?

It's natural that they'd ask you back, but, if you've already made other plans, don't feel like you're obliged. You're not being selfish at all. Most people never volunteer in their lifetime!

Odelay

Fathom wrote: »

Last Summer 2016 Volunteer. Helping Seniors with MCI/Alzheimers. Just contacted by Senior Center. They want me back. Summer 2017. 2 month commitment. I've mixed emotions. Liked helping patients. But I've other commitments for Summer. Unlike last Summer. Others more related to my major. Hard to do both. Time crunch. I'm torn. Don't want to be selfish. But...

Advice?

Do what's best for your future, if your future and mental health is good then you may have more time to offer better help.
You must look after yourself first, none of the patients would disagree with your choice.

Fathom

Fathom wrote: »

Last Summer 2016 Volunteer. Helping Seniors with MCI/Alzheimers. Just contacted by Senior Center. They want me back. Summer 2017. 2 month commitment. I've mixed emotions. Liked helping patients. But I've other commitments for Summer. Unlike last Summer. Others more related to my major. Hard to do both. Time crunch. I'm torn. Don't want to be selfish. But...

Senior Center contacted me again. University quarter ends few days out. I volunteered. Heart goes out to MCI/Alzheimers seniors. Wonder if any will remember me? Year ago.

Fathom

Numbers growing. More than summer 2016. US Baby Boom retirees. MCI/Alzheimers expanding.