A Change of Pace

In the beginning of my Gerontology degree, I learned that I had a number of internship credits to fulfill in order to earn my degree and certificates. The first place I wanted to affect with my new skills would be my community, so that is where I began my hunt for a volunteer position. What I found was an internship as well as a group of friends and a break from my chaotic weekly schedule - every Wednesday afternoon I would share my time with the Change of Pace group, my local senior center's dementia day program.

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A Change of Pace

At Change of Pace, I have spent the last year working closely with people living with Alzheimer's disease and I have formed a friendship with each of them. I am not intimately familiar with the process of the disease, as well as the process of the soul when cognition is compromised and agency is lost. Growing close with participants whom are in the later stages of dementia is eye opening as to the process of death from Alzheimer's.

I learned how to communicate with S. as she lost the ability to speak, laugh, chew and eventually swallow. I am using those lessons in my work with T., who is approaching her life's garden. It can be emotionally troubling but this is good practice for helping those in need of grief release.

I have worked closely with a very fragile population and I have learned how to protect them from various influences that would ignore their agency or abuse their frailty. I have kept people from condescending to them, lying to them, speaking in different languages in front of them, and I have advocated on behalf of them to their caregivers and family members for their learned preferences.

Most importantly to me, I have spent countless afternoons crafting, gaming, baking, painting, joking around and just enjoying each other's company. I've had the opportunity and pleasure to craft art activities and games for our group every week and overcome the challenges the inevitably rise with every project. Each activity has been a learning experience and I have learned quite a bit this past year.

Each time I visit these friends, I walk away from the Change of Pace group with a greater empathy for those living with the debilitating effects of aging and a greater understanding of the ways to make people happy as they approach their own life gardens. My children and I have greatly enjoyed our time with the older friends that we have made and I have a renewed passion for them and our community.

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