Service project
The purpose of service project is to assist where necessary as a volunteer at open heart kitchen serving lunch to the elderly. Some of the services that I will offer as part of my course requirement is to encourage, educate, connect and engage with the elderly. The services offered have to be related with to issues covered in previous class readings. Open heart kitchen has a program of feeding elders who are aged 60 years old and above. The meal is well balance and nutritious. Community volunteer services are designed to assist the society help the elderly to be healthy and secure in their homes so as to avoid institutionalization. Some of the activities involved are health programs, nutritional backing, educational assistance on medical and aging and also counselling sessions, help with housing and finances and security. The services I took part in were to assist integrate the whole community into awareness on civic responsibility to the elderly.
My first duty was to ensure tables and chairs are well arranged. Sitting in a group will enable elders to socialize while enjoying their meals. The table and chairs were arranged in a circular pattern to facilitate socializing and open talk with each other giving room for volunteers. Socializing also creates a warm friendly and welcoming environment to discuss some of the challenges they face .Socializing helps the elderly who suffer from loneliness and isolation to have a positive outlook in life and live positively. The first thing was to try and connect with the elders especially those who are suffering from chronic illnesses and those with disabilities. This helped them open and up on issues affecting them thus they were encouraged and felt involved.
The lunch prepared was a delicacy of lemon peeper fish, brown rice, fruits, fresh vegetables, salad and other healthy foods. Before feeding the elders, their hands were washed with soap detergents and hot running water. The utensils and cooking equipment’s which were to be used were also washed and kept clean .After cleaning of the utensils, I participated in cooking their meal some of which required very high temperatures. Alterations in smell and taste were also considered while cooking, putting in place ingredients that would assist their appetite. The nutritional requirement of elders was considered by diversifying the meals. Smoothies made from fresh juice, yoghurt, milk, groundnuts and seeds were on the menu. Appetite of the elders was improved by decorating the food with different spices that added aroma to the food .This was done to increase the appetite of elders with dementia.
I had to ensure that some elders have sat upright before they eat for about thirty minutes to help them move their food safely because some of them were suffering from dysphagia. Whether they were suffering from dysphagia or not, the goal was to ensure they remain alert while they were feeding. Some of the elders were to be fed slowly to allow ample time for swallowing. Small conversation during lunch helped elders remain distraction free and focus on eating.
After the meal the elders were educated on the importance having a sense of purpose .Purpose and hobbies were some of the ways through which they were to avoid succumbing to negative effects of isolation. Besides getting a purpose, they were advised to engage in activities which are socially inclined, that is, anything that requires group work. For example, playing football is healthy and social. They were also informed on events that they could attend at the local level that can promote their social lives. More elderly people are isolated from the society and they could be located through health professionals.
One of the ways through which liberal studies helps in community engagement is by providing background information required for understanding most of the concepts learnt at school. This gives an upper hand in practical skills used for solving problems within the community. Liberty studies communicates the needs of the society in a more acknowledgeable angle that can easily be integrated into a practical solution in the community thus helps the community in engaging their issues. Liberty studies help in growth and development of personal values required for community engagement. Personal values get a chance to thrive while engaging in various activities in the community that help in intellectual development. Community projects provide the primary skills and experiences that can be imparted into liberal studies .liberal studies is not like other subjects which require reading and following instructions for one to get knowledge but the subject heavily relies on ‘self-development’ by each and every student and supported by community environment. Liberal studies should go hand in hand with acquisition of knowledge. Being involved in the community helps to get rid of the ills in the community and therefore help the community progress forward to a better future (Rimmerman, 2009).
Jacques Pepin’s The Origin of Aids is a book that examines HIV in a unique perspective. Pepin volunteers to go to Africa to investigate the genesis of the virus. He adds valuable information to the already bulk scientific research on the pandemic. He studies blood from elderly Africans and uses his observations to come up with conclusions. The main objective of Pepin was to assist victims of the deadly virus through the information which was availed by his research. He was able to find out how Aids was spread in its early days. Just like any other voluntary work, the author was able to enlighten and support the community by coming up with mitigation measures. He also helped elders to protect themselves from the deadly virus which had already claimed a lot of lives. The glaring evidence from his research helped inform people on ways they can manage the virus through their nutrition and exercise. This can be related to the voluntary service offered at the heart kitchen whose purpose was to educate and help the elderly improve their health as well as feeding them (Pepin .J, 2011).
Charles C.Mann is an archaeologist who goes to a voluntary expedition to South America. He wanted to explore the continent because it was an area which had not known outside influence in terms of modernity. The scientist wants to know the history of the occupants (Indians) and how they came to exist in the area. The answers to his questions can only be known by interviewing the Indians who landed first in America before the Europeans. The culture and traditions of the Indians will also help in finding answers. They discover that the ancient civilization lived in beautiful cities with clean botanical gardens and they were not as primitive as people perceived them to be. This book totally relates to the voluntary work of serving the elderly in heart kitchen. Just like Charles discovered that the early occupants of America were not primitive and their lives were not always primitive, the elderly were someday young and hardworking energetic individuals. They are supposed to be fed, educated and assisted in each and every possible way to enable them live a comfortable life in their old age (Mann, 2006).
First Along the River explains the evolution for the environmental movements in America in terms of political and social events of the society. The book also gives an elaborate explanation on the impact of the population’s activities on the American landscape. It also explains environmental groups that had impact and changed lives and the manner in which they evolved with time. This is book gives a clear and precise importance of taking care of our environment even before climate change was became a major issue. Giving back to the community through volunteer services rendered to the elderly to assist them live better and be better is not any different. Environment movement initiated projects that protected the environment, in a similar manner engaging the community through various activities such as feeding the elders gives the community and the people around them better knowledge and ease pressure off their backs to inspire to carry on with similar projects in different spheres of the world just like the environmental movements (Kline,2011).
In the three books, a group of people take their time and mobilize their skills and resources to initiate projects that later assist the community long after they are gone. Their services to the community has enable the world to be a better place for all the people. Feeding the elderly has the same effect on the community as researching Aids, protecting the environment or discovering new archeological sites. They both help to educate support and engage the community as a holistically.
References
Kline, B. (2011). First along the river: A brief history of the U.S. environmental movement. Lanham, Md: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers.
Mann, C. C., (2006). 1491: The Americas before Columbus. London: Granta.
Pepin .J, 2011.The Origins of AIDS (Cambridge University Press
Rimmerman, C. A. (2009). Service-learning and the liberal arts: How and why it works. Lanham: Rowman & Littlefield.
