1. Throughout our time at Rock Island Nursing and Rehabilitation center, Jordan and I noticed a few recurring themes. The first theme was the use of nonverbal communication. Jordan and I came across this every time that we visited. Whenever we would play cards with the residents, non-verbals were a big part of the game. Even if the residents would not verbally communicate with us, we could tell how they were feeling or what they were thinking by their facial expressions, tone of voice, energy levels, posture...etc. Non-verbals also played a big role in residents that had trouble communicating verbally. If residents had trouble using words, they would use actions to show others what they were trying to say. This was the method that they used to communicate with others.
Another theme that Jordan and I noticed was the use of symbols. On our first visit to the nursing home, we discovered the importance of symbols when we came across the sign that told us to "push the green button before entering." There were other signs on the inside of the nursing home that gave instructions for exiting the building. Another use of signs and symbols is the layout of the building. The first floor refers to the cafeteria and lobby. The second floor refers to the bedridden patients floor. The third floor is where the independent residents reside. The fourth floor is where the Alzheimer's patients live. We were also given the opportunity to see how language is symbolic. We learned this through the card bingo game that we played with the residents on our final day there.
A final theme that was evident throughout our trips to the Nursing and Rehabilitation Center was the use of deception. Many of the residents have come to learn that it is easy to deceive those that are not around them on a daily basis. On our first day at the nursing home, one of the residents asked Jordan to push her to another room. The Nurse told Jordan that the lady had to do this on her own because it was her "daily exercise." Another time that I volunteered at a nursing home, the residents would tell the volunteers to get them coffee when they were not allowed to have coffee. Because residents themselves do not have access to the items that they normally would if they lived on their own, they sometimes try to use others to get the things that they want. Deception seems to be a recurring theme with those that do not have easy access to the things that they want.
2. Besides the main recurring themes, I was able to detect several other concepts that we have been learning about in class through our service at the Rock Island Nursing and Rehabilitation Center. This service learning assignment has been a great experience for me. I have really learned a lot and have become much better at looking for concepts from class that are part of everyday life. This experience will definitely shape my future interpersonal interactions. This service learning has helped me to know how to better communicate with others. I have become more aware of the conversations, or lack of conversations, that take place. I can now pick out specific concepts that I have learned about in class. This helps me to be better engaged in the conversations that I have with others. I have also learned the importance of stepping out of my comfort zone. Going into the service project, I was not overly enthusiastic. I had already worked with a nursing home last summer when I was training to become a CNA. I would prefer working around children, and that is part of the reason that I chose to volunteer at the Rock Island Nursing and Rehabilitation Center. I thought that maybe I had a bad experience in the past and that it would be good to try volunteering at a different nursing home. I am glad that I made this decision. Jordan and I had a great time with the residents. I enjoyed spending time with them and was glad that I got to know them. The residents were all very nice and seemed glad to have some new faces around. Jordan and I would like to visit the residents again as soon as school winds down.
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