Visiting institutions such as Home for the Aged and Home for the Dying Destitute seems heart pounding. You may wonder what the difference between these two institutions is, but I'll answer you anyway. Home for the Aged and Home for the Dying Destitutes are similar since they provide services, love and care for the oldies. But the difference between them is the level or age of the elders to be taken care upon. The Home for the Dying Destitute, obviously, takes care for those dying patients, particularly the aged people while Home for the Aged takes care for those elderly people only.
When we, CWTS, went to visit Gasa sa Gugma: Home for the Dying Destitute on February 2, 2007, I had an unexplainable feeling towards the environment. The place seems so quiet and holy that I only heard the whispers and murmurs of my fellow classmates. This deafening sound continued until Ms. Rodel instructed us to lead the patients to the chapel for them to attend mass. We followed the instruction and went inside the wards to fetch the patients. Upon nearing to the patients, I can see that my classmates started to feel. I, myself, started to feel the same way too. I can't go near to the patients not because I am “arte” but because I am afraid that they may not like me approaching to them after all. I only stood in an area watching the caretakers fetching the patients by a wheel chair. I saw some of my classmates shedding tears while they were struggling in getting up from their bed.
Minutes has passed until I bravely talked to one of the patients. I asked an old man about his life here in Gasa sa Gugma. And without hesitant, he shared his story to me. He revealed his experiences before he came to that place. I was so overwhelmed when he shared some breathtaking experiences that he encountered before he was brought up to that place. And that really fascinates me.
After that talk, I came near to an old man who spoke plainly English. He was so fluent in speaking English. I enjoyed talking to him because he always flatters me by saying I'm beautiful. I started believing in him. Laugh out loud!
I also went to two other men who had a slight problem with their memory. They kept on talking things that in the end they can't remember what they said a while ago. But they are fun to talk with. They were so jamming and they love talking some stuff to us. They even shared their love lives to us. I felt joy and belongingness to that place. It seemed that I am enjoying the moment.
Time has come to bid them goodbye. It is hard for me saying goodbye to them. All I did was to lead them in their respective seats to eat their dinner. By the way, they eat dinner at 4:00 in the afternoon. That moment, I came to know how they are so precious to me. They made me realized the value of taking care of those who are older than me especially my parents.
No comments:
Post a Comment