Foster Homes for the Elderly
at Panti Werdha Wisma Mulia

25th March 2017- We still have some money left from the previous fundraising activities and thus used it to buy some basic needs such as oils, tissue, diapers, detergent and many more for the elderly who were in foster care. Moreover, we gave a small token of our appreciation in a form of snacks.
There were grannies and grandpas whose kids can no longer support them and thus left them there. However, not all of them have the same reason why they are in the foster care. It was nice to see that they enjoy singing and making poem. As we visited there, we do a lot of singing with the elders as well as playing games that can cheer them up. Every one of us from our class talked to all of the elders, get to know them better. We were more than happy to talk to them and listen to their stories.

We conducted the program for 2 hours. We did the singing, playing and cleaning. We all gathered in the hall. During the game, not everyone played the game. Therefore, some of the grandmas and grandpas are sitting watching those who played. We accompany the elders and listen to their stories. While they are playing, we bought some fruits for all the grandmas and grandpas. It was a nice feeling to be with the elder and we get to understand their feeling. They seemed to be happy with our visits, although some of the looked otherwise.

As we talked to them, it was such a surprised knowing some of them had stayed longer than we thought. Also, we found out that most of them are Christian, so we prayed for them. This visit allows me to realize how much we should value them and we should in return pay an attribute of their kindness by taking care of them just like they have taken care of us as soon as we were born. We should be putting our parents first before ourselves. Therefore, they shouldn't be in the nursery home. That way, they will be happy.

Learning outcomes:
1. Increased their awareness of their own strengths and areas for growth
I am usually not very social because I feel awkward to get to know the others. However, conversing with the elderly, I feel very comfortable. It is a different feeling that i got as soon as i started a conversation with them. From their stories that they told makes it so nice to listen to, and make me feel less awkward as i did not have to say much to entertain them. I do realize that I need to be brave enough to socialize with anyone.

2.Undertaken new challenges

I've never been to a foster home before, so this was a pretty exciting experience. I  got the chance to know the world better and aware of those people out there who are not as lucky as us. I do get along with adults and elders quite well, so talking to the elderly wasn't much of a problem for me even though at first making the first move to talk first is hard. 

3. Shown perseverance and commitment in their activities                   
We stayed in the foster home for around 2 hours. It was really fun talking to them and listening to their stories, thus the commitment was genuine, and we personally considered it more as curiosity about what this old lady's life is about.

4. Engaged with issues of global importance
It is sad to know that old people are easily forgotten. Once you can't give much to the society, people tend to forget you especially for the elders. The senior citizens I met and talked to were very sad because they cannot do much with their lives, and they were forced to enjoy this new 'home' of theirs, where the atmosphere were not pleasing to our nose. Some of them were complaining because they cannot bear the smell.

5. Considered the ethical implications of their actions
Old people have a different way of thinking than us students, and sometimes talk about death rather morbidly. Knowing that they are very fragile beings, we made sure that we were polite and cheerful about the things that they worry about. We shouldn’t talk something that might offended them.

6. Developed new skills 
I'm not good at talking to people, but I never knew that I feel comfortable and easily cope up with what they are sharing. I learn to be able to socialize more and don’t be afraid to talk to them. This was the first time going to a foster home for the elderly, and I knew I left a mark already.