JOURNAL

Home for the Aged is an institution that provides shelter, food and medical
assistance to the abandoned elderly. In our 3 days exposure at Saint Vincent
Home for the Aged, we were given the chance to build rapport with them. They
told us their stories, how they dealt with life on their own before they were taken
to SVHA. Being with them felt like we were talking with our own grandparents,
they made us feel that somehow we are related to them. They seek for love and
attention, they seek happiness to people who visited and remembered them.
They are a group of friends who takes care of each other. For them, they are
family. They draw strength from each other, learned to love and help each one in
times of need.

During our exposure, I can see and feel how happy they are when nursing
students are there. Somehow, they feel loved and taken care of. I want to see
them smiling and laughing, I want to see them enjoying their selves in the few
days we were with them. It breaks my heart to know that they were left alone
with no one to take care of them. It breaks my heart to see that they were left
alone to be taken care of by someone not blood related. No matter the
circumstances, as much as possible I would never leave my parents in a home for
the aged. As a Filipino, we are made of families with multigenerational
households where respect and love for parents and older family members are
taught, and are expected of the children. Caring for aging relatives is a part of our
moral obligation and responsibility to our family.

I’ve learned and realized a lot of things in my 3 days exposure at SVHA. I’ve shared
my experiences in SVHA to my family and we all wish to visit them soon. I have so
much love for all of them that I wanted to visit them again and bring happiness in
my own simple way. I respected them, for they remain strong for each other.