Winchester House

                                                                                                                                            Jordan Romeo

1.     I volunteered my time at the Winchester House in Libertyville, Illinois. The Winchester House is a nursing home for adults that are aging, have disabilities, and a place to call home. People living in this residence are there for independent living and respite care. Some medical services that are provided for the patients are cancer care, dementia care, and rehabilitative care. Some amenities that are included while living in the Winchester House are two bedroom units, beautician, dietician services, exercise programs, gardens, massage services, and religious services.

2.     As we learned in class, the elderly make up 13% of the population, which is expected to double in the next 25 years due to the baby boom generation. Going to the nursing home, I finally realized that there is no clear-cut threshold for becoming the elderly. There were extremely different people in the nursing home that were all across the border when it came to their age and reason why they chose the nursing home. Although most of the patients were at the chronological age of being considered an elder, some people referred to themselves as the elderly due to their medical and mental profiles, which I did not consider when I first volunteered my time. A lot of the patients in the nursing home were wheel chair bound, which makes them disadvantaged. Over half of the elderly have a documented disability, while at least 40% have activity limitations. While I was there, I spent my time helping the staff fold patients’ laundry. When I first walked in, I was hesitant when deciding if I would ever put my parent’s in a nursing home. After I walked out, I felt extremely better knowing that if I ever did decide to put my parents in a nursing home, they would be in good hands. There are times in nursing homes when we see the elderly get abused, which is why I was so hesitant. Some people have bad perceptions of the elderly, so they are not only emotionally abusive but also neglect and abandon them. One positive thing I noticed about the Winchester House, is that the nurses help feed their patients. Lots of programs help seniors with food needs, but food unavailability is not the only issue the elderly are faced with. Lacking the ability to prepare and eat food is a major concern when it comes to seniors. I think it would be considered abusive if a nurse knew an individual wasn’t eating and wasn’t there to help him. The nurses make sure the patients eat their food and are satisfied after. They will do anything to make sure their patients are happy and well taken care of.

3.     As soon as I got there, I started to network with the director of Winchester House. When I was helping the staff fold laundry, I started asking questions about their services. I asked the staff not only medical questions about insurance, but I also asked them what activities they get their patients involved. The last question I asked was what a normal day of a nurse would look like. The director and I were talking about what my major was and the career options that could come from it. I told her that I was interested in going back to school for nursing once I graduate. The director mentioned working with patients in a nursing home, which I never imagined, but from this visit I would definitely consider this option. From networking with the director and staff, I got a better understanding about the services they provide and a career direction.

4.     The Winchester House has a positive effect on the community. It provides a place for elderly individuals to have their medical needs met, and also a place for them to interact and socialize with people their own age. It allows the elderly to have someone sit down and give them the help and attention they need, that they might not get at home. The nursing home also provides a safe environment for the older adults, no matter if they’re able to live on their own or not.

5.     I found this project very rewarding and a new career direction that I might take on. I liked helping the patients with their daily needs. Some tasks were simple, but there were others that were quite difficult. I have a total different opinion about how I feel about nursing homes and the elderly in general.