Geriatric Nursing

       It will be our first time to care for the elderly though we already visited a Home for the Aged in Cebu City last 2009. Getting old is inevitable because of the wear and tear theory. Even though not everyone  gets old because of sudden illness or death every healthy individual is expected to experience such change in life. So, we the Group E student enthusiastically gathered at Jollibee to go to the Home for the Aged altogether.

                 At around 4:00pm, our group together with the Group D and our clinical instructor went to Home for the Aged at Canaway, Iligan City for the orientation regarding the rules at the center as well as the routines of the elderly. When we came, we were warmly welcomed by Ate Aning. She informed us about the daily schedule of the patients. Our duty must start at 5:30am when the patients wake up. The students must be assigned to bath the patient, clean the comfort room, sweep the yard, clean the rooms, mop the floors and prepare the food.

                Just thinking about the task, it’s quite heavy yet if done with love and dedication, it wil be finished on time. Gladly, our groupmates are all ready to face all the challenges in doing household chores.

After patients’ breakfast, they have to rest for about 30 minutes and then vital signs should be monitored especially for those who have hypertension. After v/s monitoring would be their stretching, ROM, and walking exercises. The rest will be student’s activitivities with his/her patients and at around 11:00 the patient will already have their luch. After lunch, the patients will be brought to their rooms and that ends our duty.

Caring for the elderly is really heartwarming. Though all their basic needs are provided to them in the home for the aged, they are still longing for a family that will love and  care for them. Being with them made me more loving to my parents. I hope that someday when they grow old, I will be able to give the love and care that that they need. I wish they'll feel that even they can no longer work so much, even caring for them requires lot of time and effort, even they can no longer remember our names we're still always at their side.

Home for the Aged is accepting donations. :) Pleases just visit their office at Canaway, Iligan City.