Mary Ryder Home Reflection

During the last two weeks of my junior year, every student in my class was required to volunteer at a service site. For my service, I chose to go to the Mary Ryder Home, an all-women’s residential care facility for women of low-income status. I chose the home because it was around five minutes away from my high school and some seniors had told me that they had loved it there. During my time there, I came to bond with some of the women by painting their nails, talking about their grandchildren, or by watching soap operas with them. Many of the women in the home were very lonely and often gravitated towards me because they thought I would become friends with them. This experience was very eye-opening for me because I did not understand how
many elderly people desire companionship from younger generations. Many younger people are “creeped out” by nursing home because they feel uncomfortable around older people. In reality, people living in nursing homes just desire to become friends with younger people. I came to realize that when youthful people visit assisted living homes, they help rejuvenate the residents and bring life to them. Because of this realization, the program I am making would help connect students at St. Olaf and other colleges to assisted living homes. In the program, willing students would visit residents of assisted living or nursing homes every other weekend and interact with the residents. Students and residents would bond over activities like gardening, playing board games, or playing music together. There would also be a provided lunch, giving an incentive for students to join the program. At the end of the students’ school year, there would be an outing to somewhere that would be enjoyable for both generations, such as the zoo or a museum. Both sides would have a lot to gain from this program. The young would learn more about the past and learn to show compassion and patience. The older generation would gain companionship and gain a newfound excitement. This program will help to end stigmas about the elderly as well as those about “millennials” and college students. Students will gain more experience with the elderly and come to realize that they have a zest for life as well. The residents will learn that the students are not entitled and absorbed in technology. Both sides will learn and grow from this experience as well as influence the other side.