The Elderly in Assisted Living Homes

There are millions of elderly people living in nursing homes or assisted living facilities in our country. All of these people have lived a rich life and have a lot of experience that young people can only imagine. Sadly, many people in our elderly population have been abandoned by their families because they have become a burden. Some nursing home residents never have any visitors at all, and they will die alone and sad. Even nursing homes that are very nice facilities and provide the best care possible cannot replace the friends and family members that the resident will miss. Another problem is that many nursing homes are understaffed and the residents get even less attention unless they have visitors. However, every person can make a difference for one of the lonely old people by going to visit them. Even a short visit can make a big difference. Many people think that it would be too much work to take the time to visit a nursing home, or they fear that it will be boring or depressing. It is actually very little work for how much the young person and old person will get out of it. I have spent many years visiting elderly people in nursing homes, and I have discovered that I have a lot in common with them. Everyone should make an effort to visit the elderly in nursing homes because it is kind to them, it is a rewarding experience, and it teaches us all about life.

The first reason why people should visit the elderly in nursing homes and assisted living facilities is that it’s kind to them. When an elderly person receives a visitor in the nursing home, their eyes light up and it is easy to see what a difference it makes for their mood and state of mind. There are many ways that a person can show kindness to a lonely elderly person. My experience has been focused on working with alcoholics and recovering alcoholics in nursing homes. Many of the residents have had emotional problems or trauma from their lives that have been unresolved.

By visiting these people, a younger person can provide friendship and a confidante. It is important that even old people have friends they can trust because being lonely is a very painful and debilitating condition. Simple things that a person can do when visiting the elderly include reading to them, speaking to them, taking them for walks, bringing them small tokens of affection, or just sitting with them for a while. Any of these things will show extreme kindness to a person in need. An older person that is left alone may have regrets, feelings of guilt, or other negative feelings that will be harbored for the entire duration of the person’s remaining life, leading to bitterness and a very sad death. Giving that person companionship can renew his or her faith in humanity in time for them to find peace before death.

Another important reason to visit the elderly is that of what they can teach younger people about themselves. The elderly people in our society have a lot of insight to share with the younger generation. Despite the many years between them, an elderly nursing home resident and a younger visitor can find a lot of common ground for discussions. For example, I am a middle-aged alcoholic. The recovery program which has helped me to reclaim my life helped me discover that helping other alcoholics was very rewarding and that helping elderly alcoholics is my calling in life. Elderly alcoholics offer me insight into my own disease. When I bring Alcoholics Anonymous literature to a nursing home, I am able to have quality time with the elderly, and we are able to talk about something that is common between us. Other people can benefit from this experience as well. The rewarding feeling that is gotten from helping the elderly benefits the young and helps to build their character. Spending time with elderly people can help develop kindness and empathy for all human beings.