How can I volunteer and talk to elderly?

During my summer holidays, I volunteered at my local hospital helping out in the elderly wards. Hospitals are a great place to volunteer as they have a lot of opportunities. As a volunteer, I wasn't part of the hospital staff and so I wasn't part of caring for the elderly. My role was to distribute tea, coffee and snacks in the evening to all the elderly patients in the ward. This may seem like an insignificant job but as time goes on, you will find out you have learnt what most of the patients ask for. You will learn that they often tend to ask for the same snacks or take their tea the same way and if you remember these little things about them, it will make their day. There were a lot of elderly patients who didn't have any visitors so when you visit them with a smile on your face, even if it is to serve them beverages, it makes them really appreciate you and in time they will talk to you. I had this sweet old lady talk to me about her family for over 40 minutes once. The elderly often have a lot to say and they just need someone who is willing to listen. They are very gentle people and just need some caring words and appreciation. With the elderly, you just have to be attentive, make sure you have eye contact and speak clearly. When you first meet them, it is best to introduce yourself first so they can be comfortable around you. The elderly often like to talk about their family so you can ask them about the kids and grand kids. You can talk about include places they've visited and the experiences they have had.

If you're interested in helping in person, you can volunteer at nursing homes, hospices, hospitals, etc. and help the elderly that way.

Go to a senior living center or activity center and ask the director if there are any volunteer positions that you could apply for. Organize an activity (arts and crafts, music, dance, etc) and offer to lead it at such a place.

Just look for a place where wise people are: could be in a Park, near a chessboard, on a square where benches are, ... than take action and give voice to your resolution: "Good Morning Madam (or Sir), I would like to .... Do you mind?" remember to respect yourself and the other :-)

I'm sure most nursing homes would appreciate the extra help! It's as simple as calling in or even visiting to see how you can help out. We can all learn a lot from our elders. They benefit speaking from you, as much as you do with them.

Most of the time you can find an elderly home or assisted living somewhere in or around your area. I actually volunteered at one over the summer and it was a great experience. Even if you don't officially volunteer, just sitting and talking to them not only brightens their day, but you can also hear some pretty amazing stories!

From my experience working in nursing homes, they love to talk about themselves. It also helps if you're dealing with people with alzheimers or dementia, asking them more questions about themselves is a good way to help them exercise their brain. Going back and forth between comparing experiences with going to school, working, etc. etc.

Getting in contact with local senior living establishments is a good place to start. Try asking them what volunteer positions are available, or look for groups that already visit the elderly and join.

If you'd like to help the elderly then you could consider asking an assisted living facility if they need any volunteers. You can also ask any elderly people in your area if they need help with anything or if they'd just like to talk. There's also several websites (like the Elder Helpers website) that you can conveniently sign up for to find elderly people in your area who are in need of assistance.

The best place to start is by talking to a local charity like age concern, or you could pop to your local home/support of the elderly