What would you think life would be if you were living in a nursing home? You might be conscious of being physically removed from your familiar home and community. You might feel lost, unsure of how you will adjust to this new place. You may feel that you’ve somehow been rejected. Last month, I and six others fellows from four different countries went to nursing home to look at the elderly in the nursing house which close to our dormitory (around 30 minutes away) in Kuala Lumpur.
We and grannies
I have been very excited to be part of this cycle since I never did my community service for elderly back then. The first thing we did was buying some necessary stuff for elderly in “Tesco” with my five other lads. We split ourselves into two teams to buy those kinds of stuff to shorten the times. After we checked out and paid the price, we decided to pick one of our friends who were waiting in the other mall across the road. After short of a period, we headed off to Elderly Nursing House to work up there and started our program.
Frankly, this is the first time for me visiting elderly people in nursing house. I was a bit nervous and quite fearful due to self-anxiety. At the moment when we parked our car on the edges of the road, one of the nurses came out from the house and asked who were we. So, we told them who we were and what were our objective being here. We also told them that we have already arranged the appointment with their manager, so by the end, they let us in to see their manager, but unfortunately their manager was still on the way. So, we decided to perform our prayer first while waiting for their manager’s presence.
Me and my Granny
After for a while, their manager was arrived and invited us to go to the backyard to have an enjoy atmosphere to talk about the nursing house and what are their program for elderly. They told us a bunch of thing about the elderly nursing house. When I listened to them, I was very amazed at what they did to elderly. How lovely they are when they are taking care of the elderly. After we captured the whole picture of this nursing house, we started to visit one room to another room to see and talked with the elderly.
When I entered one of their rooms, some grannies smiled at me and greeted me as I was their family member that long time no sees. They really excited to talk to me and started asking me, what’s my name, where am I from, do you this and this, aren’t you this and those. They spoke as if they do not have any problems in life. I was laughed at them when they started telling me the anecdote story. Yet, the atmosphere was changed into 180 degrees when they told me why they were here in the nursing house. One of the grannies told me that she has a terrible story back then which I started dropping my tears unconsciously. Their story was touched me behind their smile and laugh. The atmosphere at that time was saddened until no words come out from my lips and keep tearing my eyes.
Shopping for Grannies
After for a while, the manager took us to take a look at the other granny and share our funny story to break the iceberg. We started making a little game for a granny like guessing a word and another little story telling. One of that granny even gave me a flower that she made by herself. She said that “I am your granny so please stay in touch with me.” By listening to that word, I was cried a bit and hugged her as I feel she is my grandma. We talked a lot about their story when they were young and they really excited to tell that they are happy right now being here to have a new family member that taking care of their old days. Not to forget, we took a bunch of pictures with them to remember this glorious memory. I hope that this is not going to be the last time for me to visit Elderly Nursing House, but certainly this is going to be the beginning for every volunteer services in nursing house.
Zaky and his Granny
I have had many good experiences both volunteering and visiting this elderly nursing house. My volunteer experience has shown me that I can bring joy to older people. Everyone will have to face having parents and grandparents growing older and becoming dependent on their children. Dealing with this situation has made me a stronger and more caring person.
I also would like to deliver my big thanks to my lads who made this thing happened.
- Zaky Abdul Aziz from Singapore
- Aubaidillah Doloh from Thailand
- Ahmad Charis from Indonesia
- Ahmad Mae from Thailand
- Ilyas Ibn Ibrahim Rakim from Philippine
- Herbi Arfah Renaldy from Indonesia
By:
M Syarifuddin
SYARIFUDDIN ZONE 