Despite the ongoing pandemic that we are experiencing, many communities are once again encouraging volunteers to help the elderly in some capacity or another. And perhaps not surprisingly, a large number of these volunteers are teenagers and young adults.
It’s easy to look at today’s youth and write them all off as wrapped up in their cell phones and devoid of social awareness. But this truly isn’t the case. For a variety of reasons, the young generation is intent on making the world around them a better place.
Take what we are seeing happen in New York right now as an example. The New Jewish Home has developed a program designed for kids in grades 10 through 12 that gets them into the care facility working with seniors. Those that stick with the program and complete the requirements can even graduate with a healthcare certification that would qualify them for entry level care jobs, if they wish to continue down this road. Since its inception just a few years ago, more than 700 kids have completed the program.
Clearly, there is a demand for this type of volunteerism. Senior care has long been facing a worker shortage crisis. Many experts didn’t expect anything to come to fruition for another ten years or so, as the Baby Boomer population crept into their later years. But the COVID pandemic has sped up the timeline in many parts of the country. There’s a greater need for caregivers in this field than ever before. Attracting more volunteers into the senior care business is incredibly helpful. Rewarding them with employment opportunities as a thank you for their hard work makes it even more attractive.
This might look different in your own community. The pandemic has made the logistics of something like this tough, too. But the fact remains that teenagers have a lot to offer our seniors. Just think about what this would look like in a family situation to get an idea of how it might be mutually beneficial.
Families are an important part of senior care. Long before nursing homes and hospitals were invented, families cared for their own elderly loved ones. This doesn’t mean that these facilities are not vital to the wellbeing of our society; they are. They are huge advances in how we help those that need it. But families do play a role in care, and they always have. This means grandparents, grandchildren, and even great-grandchildren have a role to play in the help that a loved one receives.
Looking for the right care for your family? We can help. In-home care is designed to keep your loved one right where they want to be, with the people that they love. This means connecting families with care that will come to them, rather than asking seniors to upend their lives.
The assisted living facility or nursing home might be the best choice–but it might not be. Either way, we can help you find what’s going to work best for your family. Give us a call to get started. One of our trained professionals can help answer your questions and get you pointed in the right direction–all with absolutely no obligation to you.
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