I work as a volunteer at a local retirement facility.
- I work with the residents on craft projects, help with social events, and even spend time visiting or just reading to them.
It is really rewarding on many levels but one of my favorite things I enjoy is just listen. They adore sharing their stories from the past and I find much of what they have to say fascinating. The life I have grown up in has been completely controlled by one form of electronic device or another. The world is at our fingertips, thanks to the internet, and my buddy and I carry a iphone that is basically a small ipad. My friend and I can control our world remotely through websites and apps. Not only is this technology foreing to many of the residence, the items my buddy and I control are too. Many of them grew up without things like ipads, security systems, Heating and Air Conditioning systems and even cars. I can’t imagine my life without any of these things. Most notably, my Heating and Air Conditioning system. I depend on it to keep me comfortable and my condo healthy year round. I have it completely controlled by my Smart Thermostat and I can log on at any moment from wherever I am to adjust it or ensure that it is running respectfully. When I listen to a resident telling me about the hard toil they had to do to keep their homes sizzling in the winter season and how happy they were when the first electric heaters came on the market I am simply astounded. I am actually glad that my buddy and I don’t have to go to those lengths any longer.