FLA Assist

What is the ASSIST program? ASSIST is an inter-generational service program designed to match willing, caring, and compassionate Forest Lake Academy students with senior citizens who need assistance and companionship.

Why Choose to be involved with ASSIST? This is an opportunity for each group to benefit the other. Students can assume a role of critical importance and have a positive impact in someone else’s life, while a senior can become a friend, mentor, confidant and guide to students. It is also an opportunity for personal, professional, and leadership development.

What are the goals of the ASSIST program? To build bridges between teenagers and senior citizens To minimize the isolation experienced by senior citizens through the companionship of a caring, helpful student of FLA To provide FLA students an opportunity to develop their sense of responsibility to the community

What is FLA’S goals for students who are working with ASSIST program? To be compassionate toward older adults To become a Christian witness to others To gain a service heart by being in direct contact with those in need

Criteria for Student Workers: Must have physical capabilities to do house and yard work Must have capability to carry on conversations with new people. Must be personable and polite. Students must have the ability to be self-starters— must be able to take a look around and make suggestions for ways they can help. Must have a strong sense of integrity. Your senior companion may confide in you and trust you with information about themselves that they wish to keep private. You will also need to respect their property at all times.

Expectations: What is expected of you as a program participant? Be positive and enthusiastic! Always be on time Keep track of your hours on your time card Always do your best in every activity with your senior companion Take advantage of the experiences of those older and wiser. They have something left to give. View this job as an opportunity to develop a valuable and precious friendship.

Understanding the Elderly: What do the Elderly want?

What do the elderly want? They want to feel in control of their own lives. They don’t want to be told what to do or not to do. They like to feel they can still do some things, so let them do what they can! They want dignity and respect. Don’t dismiss what they have to say or who they are, accept them for who they are and who they were. They want recognition for their contributions They want some hope. They know they are getting older and have more physical and sometimes mental limitations, but they still want to know that good things are possible in their lives.

What do the elderly want? They want attention from those they love and respect. They hate being ignored. They want privacy and respect for their ‘space’ They want friends, young and old. They want the people close to them to understand that they are often depressed and suffer from low self-esteem. At those times, they need someone to listen. They want freedom for as long as possible. They want to be in touch with their spirituality. This will help them face their own mortality.

Communicating with the Elderly: To have more effective communication with the elderly, keep these tips in mind: Age-related decline in physical abilities can make communication more challenging, and even some illnesses can make communication more difficult.

Hearing Loss This makes you harder to understand, so be patient and speak more clearly. Face the person when you talk Avoid talking while you eat or chew gum Don’t shout at them, but be willing to repeat patiently if they don’t hear you the first time.

Vision Loss This can make it harder for the elderly person to recognize you, so don’t take it personally. They may need your help to be their ‘eyes’ at times.

Speaking Some elderly persons experience changes in their speaking ability, and their voices become weaker, or harder to understand. Be patient when listening, and be aware of when the elderly person gets tired and wants the visit to end.

Memory Loss This is very normal as people grow older, especially short term memory loss. Keep this in mind and practice patience. If the elderly person has some dementia or is getting Alzheimer's, they may repeat stories over and over. This is normal! They may let you tactfully change the subject or start a new topic of conversation occasionally, but be patient with the repetition!

Emotions Remember when someone lives to be very old, it’s normal for them to experience feelings of loss. Deaths of relatives and friends, losing the ability to work and be independent, changes in their health and ability to be active, changes in their finances, and being unable to make simple decisions can all affect an elderly person’s emotions. These losses can create sadness and grieving. Grieving can lead to depression, social withdrawal, and irritability, so look for these symptoms in the elderly person and seek advice from your supervisor as to how to get help for your senior companion.

Complaining Because of their frustrations, they may complain about their family, friends, the facility, their living conditions, their finances, their aches and pains, etc. Sometimes the best thing you can do is to listen to their complaints. Show by your body language and facial expression that you care and that you are listening. Practice “active listening” if they want your feedback, which means to repeat back to them what you think they said and offering sympathy. Don’t necessarily feel you have to solve their problems for them.

Background Because an elderly person’s life experience may be different from yours, it’s important to let the person express their thoughts and feelings, and to respect them even if you disagree.

Physical Limitations Seniors may have aches, pains, and stiffness that slow them down. They may not want to admit this to you. Go at their pace and be sensitive to when they may be getting tired or having pain. Because of increased physical limitations of the elderly, sometimes they may have difficulty with cleanliness issues. You may notice their personal hygiene isn’t what it might have been at one time, and their home or room may not be as clean as it should be. If you notice smells, you may be able to help! If there is something in the home or room causing smells, ask tactfully if you can take care of the source...trash, spills, accumulated dirt, etc.

What NOT to say: Like children and teenagers, the elderly resent others being judgmental and demeaning towards them. Like you, they don’t like to hear: “Because it’s good for you” “Because you’re not able to do it on your own” “Because I (or the nurses or doctor, or their family members) know what’s best.” “Because you can’t manage your own money” “Because you need to socialize more, get out more, develop new interests, etc.”

How to start a conversation with an elderly: Always be very respectful. Avoid talking in condescending, “baby” talk. Address them as Mr. or Mrs. unless they direct you otherwise Make positive observations about their room, home, decorations, yard, photos, hairstyle, etc. Whatever you can find to sincerely compliment, do so! (but don’t over- do it) Act interested, but not nosy, ask questions to try and get a dialogue going Ask if there is anything you can do to help them (within your limits)