The End Is Here

When we were first presented with the idea of service learning I’ll admit I was a little hesitant in wanting to do something like that. I thought it was going to be a pain to try and fit it into my schedule and that it would take away from the little free time that I actually have. However, this experience has greatly changed my life. I honestly didn’t know what to expect when I started volunteering at the Portage County Health Care Center. I knew that I would be spending time with people who have severe dementia and Alzheimer’s disease, but from what I knew about the disease’s I figured the residents wouldn’t be all there and it would sort of be like talking to someone who couldn’t respond.

These people have changed my life forever and a part of them will always stay with me. They opened my eyes to how fragile life really is; also that we basically take it for granted. We always say, “oh, well I’ll do it tomorrow” and we constantly put things off. We never say how we feel or speak the immediate truth. I think the most important thing I’ve learned from this experience is to live as if there is no tomorrow.
Each resident has affected me in a different way. I met a couple whose love has been tested by these horrible aliments and has not quavered once. I met a gentleman who may have trouble remembering my name, but can still remember every word to every Johnny Cash song. Also, I met the happiest guy in the world who I don’t think I’ve never seen frown, yet every night when it gets dark the dementia just eats away at him. I really thought that this would be such an easy task spending time with these people and getting credit for class, but each time I went I couldn’t wait to go back and it became something so much more than just a silly school assignment.

I’ve had an amazing time volunteering and I hold a special place in my heart for everyone that I’ve met thus far. The other people I work with are just as amazing as the residents and every Friday I look forward to getting up and going to see all of them. I’ve made some great friends and learned some things that will last me a life time. I plan on continuing to volunteer over the summer back home, and hopefully at Portage County when I come back next semester. This has been a wonderful opportunity and I’m extremely happy that it was an opportunity I was able to experience.