Attracting
students to long-term care
Lawlor says placements a great way for students to make a contribution
Tuesday, December 30, 2003 Roderick Benns
High school students need a place to perform 40 hours of volunteer work
before they graduate. Long-term care can be that place, but not all students
are willing to choose a nursing home for their placement -- or at least
not for very long, says life enrichment co-ordinator April Anderson.
April says about five students have come through the doors
of Burnbrae Gardens in Campellford in the last few months, but have only
chosen to do 10 or 12 hours work to contribute to their 40-hour quota.
Students are essentially streamed only into the life enrichment program
at Burnbrae.
"If they stayed for the full 40 hours it would be a
big help," says April. "But no one is interested in long-term
care in high school."
Arlene Lawlor, administrator of Maplewood, has not found
the same experience in the Brighton area though. "We have a full
orientation for students here and we make sure they are given projects
to do. They're very productive, generally," Arlene says.
Arlene says some students find out they are not keen on
being in a long-term care environment, but many others end up being recruits
for volunteers during holiday breaks, long after the necessary volunteer
hours are completed.
"They enjoy making a meaningful contribution,"
she says.
Maplewood often uses the life enrichment department as a
place for students to put in their hours, but they have also used the
kitchen, too. "I remember one girl who stayed the whole summer working
in the kitchen," she says.
"She just wanted to make her contribution there."
Arlene says in many cases the home can't let the students
do much in nursing, due to legal restrictions.
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