Service Learning Narrative Essay

Service learning narrative essay

Service learning incorporates learning through the community services at a wider area of interest combined with instructions offered in classrooms. This kind of acquiring knowledge is vital as it enables students to improve critical thinking ability, experience a moment of personal reflection as well as improving self responsibility in the society. Service learning enables students to put into action the knowledge impacted to them in class, for example, in a biogerontology lesson, through active participation. Vintage garden that is located in the the division of central California was the place of my choice. It is a non-profit institution that is dedicated to providing the best for the aged to boost their health as well as enforcing their welfare.
The chief objective of this institution is to look into the issues affecting the each and every aged individual through their competent staff. This is achieved through provision of education programs in which the aged are enlightened on the best lifestyles to enhance and live a healthy life, implement programs and activities that exclusively consider the needs of the aged. The gurus in this institution also ensure that their obligations are well performed by ensuring twenty four hour availability within the institution. It's mission states that, "We believe in and are committed to honoring each person's dignity, rights, self-respect and independence. We are committed to a program of stewardship that recognizes the responsibility to use our resources well. In addition, our mission is to provide services to older adults in the community at large, in the Fresno County area."
While at the Vintage Garden, I learnt a lot about the older in the community as well as their contribution to the society. Extra care, as well as great importance, is acquitted to them since they are very crucial in the community. It is also a pleasure to take care of the aged as I observed in the institution. Through service learning in the institution I got to understand that the lessons learnt in the walls of the classroom are better understood if done practically. Open mindedness is also a quality that one acquires through service learning due to the diverse and contrasting available information. I also got experience on socializing with the age that I found triggering since they are so resourceful as well as cooperative. The experience of utilization of the critical thinking skills to solve complications and challenges also felt thrilling while at the institution.
Opportunities for personal values reevaluation were also at my disposal, and this aided me to identify my passion towards helping the old and always being there for them. This learning is so effective since one can pinpoint where their passion and motivation lie through providing services to the target group in the community. The communication skills as well as interaction techniques of an individual are considerably boosted. This is attributed to the chance acquitted to them to mingle and exchange knowledge with the community. The environment at the Vintage Gardens was also very conducive for learning as much as socialization with the aged. This ensures effective performance of the activities as well as improved comprehension rate. Through service learning at Vintage Garden, I was able to commence viewing the world in a new dimension and change my perception of the aged as less effective in the community. I learned that aiding the nagged to improve on their health as well as enhance their knowledge on matters affecting them is very resourceful in a community and its economy.
Service leaning at the Vintage Gardens helped me resolve my doubts about the aged being in a position to comprehend anything in the lessons offered. Perception of educating the aged to be hectic was also confirmed wrong. The aged are so much knowledgeable and acquits so much importance to knowledge impacted on them. They are always ready to share matters concerning their lives and seek assistance. However, some of them tend to be ignorant and lack sense in their life as they consider themselves useless in the community. Changing these heinous mentalities is at times complex and requires one to utilize all the known tactics to enlighten them. An experience of utilization of the management skills to the fullest is acquired thus boosting one's confidence to solve complex issues, as well as lead well.
I hold great feelings of gratitude towards service learning since it equips one with crucial skills and knowhow that are important in my life. It is acquitted with multitude of benefits to the students and the community at large. Personal development is one of the major achievements that one can acquire from Vintage Garden institution. I was able to fathom and redefine my objectives in life. Learning tom stays with the aged and being of much assistance to them filled me with immeasurable joy and thrilling feeling of contentedness. Service learning also broadened my way of thinking leading to my transformation to an understanding person. It equips one with admirable personnel as well as high quality skills that contribute to the development of the community. Good relationship in the community is also initiated and sustained though the traits learned through service learning.
Embracing of service learning is wise in a community since it cultivates good and improved behaviors towards every individual. I support this acquiring information fully since it enables one experience an enthusiastic feeling of self satisfaction from the action of aiding the aged. One's ability of management are also improved and proved to be effective through community service especially if one is able to achieve their targets.
At Vintage Garden, I learned that continued support to the elderly is so crucial in the community. I acquired knowledge, experience as well as a feeling of belonging in the community. Service learning fosters unity, coordinated effort, improved communication and expression skills, improved decision making tactics and good leadership qualities. It impacts one with a sense of belonging in the society. Generation and identification of talents could also be achieved through service learning. Constant and relentless support to the aged leads to the eradication of fatal maladies that make their life unbearable. It also makes them more productive to be in a position to fend for themselves. They become fewer burdens to their kins since they do not depend on them. Good health, as well as happiness, is instilled in their lives thus reduced mortality rate due to depression or misery. They also feel loved and accepted in the community and thus prolonged life span.

Concepts

Concept 1
The top most concepts of the older adults are to live a healthier life. The aged are exposed to so many challenges in their lives due to their deteriorating immunity. Some of these demerits include ailments such as the diabetes and high blood pressure, less effectiveness in the community, high level of dependency as well as isolation by the others in members in the community. For this demography to overcome these challenges, education on the proper lifestyle that boosts their health is crucial. At Vintage Garden, the professionals are dedicated to providing information to the aged on healthy lifestyles. Education on the importance of conducting physical exercise as well as consuming balanced diet is transpired on them. This aids them to experience a better life at their old age.

Concept 2

Another concept related to the aged is not overworking their delicate bodies. The older adults should not implicate much effort to their bodies. Their bodies are weak and less effective and thus should do a considerable level of work. Much stress to their system could contribute to them contrasting diseases or even worst death. At Vintage Garden, an elderly man confirmed to me to have had much health complications due to overworking but after he attended the lessons in the institution, his health had positively improved.

Concept 3

Moral support is another crucial concept. Offering of moral support to the aged and showering them with much adoration care and affection enhances their livelihoods. It impacts to them a feeling of belonging. This enables them to take good care of themselves since they feel wanted in the community.

Concept 4

Fear of death is another concept that should be eradicated from the old adults. They are enlightened on the qualities necessary to live life to the fullest. Demise should not be acquitted much importance by the aged since it only demoralizes them cutting short their life span. At Vintage Garden, an old lady confirmed to have been suffering from diabetes and was afraid of death since she had her grandson to take care of. This deteriorated her health but after attending classes she managed to get rid of that idea and manage her diabetic condition.

Concept 5

Happiness is the key to stress free and longer life. The concept of happiness must be acquitted great importance in the lives of the old aged. This makes them feel contented and fulfilled life of which they are proud of. It also intensifies their desire to live. It was vivid in the Vintage Garden that the aged there were happy and full of life.

Reference

Erber, J. T. (2013). Aging and older adulthood. Chichester, West Sussex: Wiley-Blackwell.