ABC Training Center encourages home healthcare aides and families to celebrate the National Day of Listening, which is on November 25, 2016 this year. This special day was established in 2008 by StoryCorps, a nonprofit organization. It has been celebrated the day after Thanksgiving every year since 2008.
Our grandparents and great-grandparents are a wealth of information and history, which is often not documented. On the National Day of Listening, families, home healthcare aides, and other people have the opportunity to listen to stories told by our elderly family members.
Younger generations have the opportunity to share the day by asking their older family members to share stories of their youth, challenges they faced, and historical events they experienced.
For the elderly, it gives them the opportunity to be heard. Often, our elderly relatives get excited that their younger family members are interested in hearing their stories. StoryCorps offers an interview guideline with different types of questions you can ask.
Other than spending time listening to the elderly, the National Day of Listening is a wonderful way for families to spend quality time together, without the distractions of smartphones, video games, television, and other electronic and technological devices.
For instance, you might be interested in learning what it was like when your mother or father attended high school or college. You could also be interested in finding out how a family member got their nickname.
The main thing to remember is that there is no specific format you have to follow. You are free to create your own family traditions while celebrating the National Day of Listening. It is also fun to document the interviews on paper, or with a video recorder or other such device. Then you could write the story and add it to a family scrapbook or create a family newsletter you can include with your holiday cards.
For home healthcare aides, celebrating the day with your patients who might not have family nearby makes them feel special. It can put a smile on their face and make them feel appreciated. Little things like the National Day of Listening can go a long way toward helping patients maintain a positive outlook. You can also document the stories your patients tell you and use them to create a newsletter you can give them to share with their family members and friends.
Furthermore, home healthcare aides often become a vital member of an elderly’s extended family. It is not uncommon for you to spend more time with the person than their other relatives do. So, celebrating the National Day of Listening with them is another way to gain further understanding and appreciation for the people you care for on a regular basis.
Becoming a home healthcare aide is more than just providing care for patients. It is about developing relationships through listening and sharing. For more information on how to become a home healthcare aide, please feel free to contact ABC Training Center at 718-618-5589.
Source
http://www.nationaldaycalendar.com/national-day-of-listening-day-after-thanksgiving/