Carol gets residents talking at St. Michael’s Assisted Living
Volunteer Carol Colbenson encourages residents in St. Michael’s Assisted Living to roll the dice. There’s no money on the line. Instead, the numbers correspond to a card with a discussion question like “Have you ever made homemade bread?” or “Have you ever driven a boat?”
“You learn things about them and open up con- versations with other residents. They start talking as a group,” Carol said. “One lady was from Arcadia. Another resident said, ‘I’m from Arcadia too.’ Suddenly they started chit-chatting. They find out within the same building are people they can talk to.”
Carol worked in a nursing home setting in the 1970s, then at a hospital. She’s always enjoyed spending time with older adults and has been volunteering for a couple years at St. Michael’s in Fountain City, Wis. While Carol is happy to chat, she really likes activities. She recently led “color therapy” – coloring pictures with residents.
“Everyone enjoyed the project and had fun finding just the right picture and just the right colors,” said St. Michael’s Assisted Living Activity Director Cid Serva.
Carol has learned to adapt to residents’ needs to include as many people as possible. When residents had trouble coming up with a letter for Wheel of Fortune, she made cutouts of each letter and put them in a bucket so residents could draw a letter instead of getting flustered trying to think of one.
“It makes me feel good, if you can help other people,” said Carol, who has also been known to stop by and apply nail polish for residents. “It’s rewarding for me just to visit with these people and put a smile on their faces and to take up some of their lonely time.”
“It’s wonderful having Carol as a volunteer,” Cid said. “She has many ties with our folks and is able to share and connect with everyone.”
For those considering volunteering at St. Michael’s or elsewhere,Carol has simple advice: “There’s only one way to know if you’re gonig to enjoy it, and that’s to do it.”
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