Hi everyone! Today is Tuesday, May 14th, and today we started out very early. I woke up at 6:45, grabbed some fruit, and made it to the taxi cabs at 7:15. However, some students weren’t as fortunate as me, and slept through their alarms! The reason we woke up so early was that we were visiting some nursing homes today. We split up between two different homes to see the facilities, speak to nurses, and more! After that, we went back to BCU for a lecture!

First, we visited Neville Williams House, a nursing home located in Birmingham. This is our last nursing tour, which is fitting since we’ve already gotten to see the children’s hospital. This was so much different, but still very interesting to see. The first thing I noticed after talking to a few of the nurses was how much they loved their jobs and cared about their residents. We spoke to a lovely BCU student nurse who had a placement at this home, and it was cool hearing how her programming differs from the nursing students in the United States. I find it interesting that nurses declare their area of focus in their second year here, whereas in the United States, all nurses get the same degree and do clinical to figure out what area they like and what to work in. I think our system is better since some students may not know what they want to go into until after they explore all the options physically. I could tell from her and other nurses that they cared about the people here. I’ve had family members in nursing homes before, and I know sometimes they can feel lonely if they don’t have family that visits often. Sometimes, the nurses are all they have, so it makes me happy to see them so passionate about what they do. 

Another thing I found interesting was what the lady told us about how NHS plays a role in senior care. We were told that seniors are given a set amount of money to pursue senior care. However, this amount is usually not nearly enough for quality care, so there is often a big balance to pay for those who want to give their loved ones quality care. On the contrary, those who cannot afford to pay extra may experience worse care. Since healthcare is “free,” this begs the question as to why families are forced to pay for good care. I’m sure there are countless families who love their seniors so much but are forced to send them somewhere that they know may not be the best for their needs.

Another thing I loved to see that shows how much the staff cares is their activities. They had a big board with a calendar for the week that had activities for each day. There were a plethora of options including karaoke, bingo, movie night, and so much more! This keeps the residents busy and can give them stuff to look forward to, which I’m sure they appreciate. If I were to be sending someone I love to a home, I would want them to have things like this in place to keep them occupied when I couldn’t visit. One good thing about the home we went to is that family members are always welcome. They have access codes and can get into the building at any time to see someone. This makes it easier for them to bond, since they do not have to go through the troubles are scheduling visits and stuff like that.

One part of the visit that I really enjoyed was when we sat down to chat with some of the residents. Although it wasn’t much for us, I could tell how happy it made them to have someone to talk to and tell stories to. Although some were a bit slower and quieter when speaking, I could how much wisdom they had. One lady was very talkative, and was even giving us suggestions of things to do when we go to London!

Lastly, we ended the school day with a few lectures at BCU. We talked about menstrual poverty and other feminine-related things. While they may not be directly applicable to me, it was still good that I was able to see this stuff so I could be informed on these problems in our society.

Overall, today was a nice day. Spending time with the elderly warms my heart, and I hope when I’m that age I have young people to talk to. Tomorrow we are finally going to London, so I can’t wait!