A Whole New Perspective

 I have finished my practicum. 

How time flies. Met Mr Loon for my last session of practicum. I did not want to say it was my last time seeing him because I see myself going back to visit him.  I explained to him that I would be going back to school and would not be able to visit him so regularly but I would still make time to visit him. I asked if he had enjoyed the time I spent with him. 

你喜欢我来看你吗？
喜欢，很喜欢。

I do not think it is right to just stop the visitation completely. I will continue to visit, perhaps, fortnightly if time permits or at least once a month. The thing is to keep in touch.

This practicum, the visit to a nursing home has completely changed my perspective towards asking old people to stop work and just rest.

This is a brutal truth…

…the old people in a nursing home who have care-givers to look after them, provide food for them, having 24 hour nursing care. Their lives have no worries. They play bingo, go for outings, have physiotherapies and have volunteers who come to talk to them. Yet, their lives are as good as that of a prisoner. They are ‘caged’ in. They have no freedom to go where they want to go, eat what they like to eat. Even drinking a cup of plain water, they are at the mercy of the caregivers.

…the old people who work in the food court, at the airport, those who sell tissue papers and wet ones. They have complete freedom to do as they wish. If today, they want to eat simply, porridge and egg or tomorrow they want a plate of lard laden cha kuay teow, no one can stop them. They are able to enjoy, they are happy, above all, they have freedom.

Now, when I see old people working, I no longer feel sorry for them. I rejoice with them for they have good health which enables them to earn a decent living and enjoy their lives.  It has been a great adventure doing my practicum at a nursing home. Never have I ever thought I would be able to do something like this but it clearly proved that humans are fully capable of treading on the unknown, entering the discomfort zone. I just need to be bold, to take risk.