Wisdom Wednesdays is an opportunity to gain valuable knowledge from both older adults and volunteers who are involved in our LBFE community. Read about what our Boston College PULSE student volunteer, Jen Barker has to say about the importance of communication at one of our CitySites where residents primarily speak Mandarin or Cantonese:
“When I talk to people about Little Brothers – Friends of the Elderly they always say that I am so lucky because I get to volunteer by playing games, drawing, and talking – some of my favorite activities. At one CitySite; however, it is hard to do some of these activities because we do not speak the same language. Language barriers prevent many people of any generation from connecting with each other. However, at this CitySite, despite not speaking the same language we still manage to communicate.
Communication through gestures, drawings, and actions are powerful ways to communicate with people without needing language. This communication allows us to absorb experiences and learn about different cultures and life stories in a unique and complicated way. As a volunteer, the main goal is to encourage this communication to make the elders feel less alone and listened to in a country where they cannot speak to a majority of people. This communication allows us to sit and calmly draw and play games without speaking because communication is more than just talking: it is about allowing the other person to be heard and share their experience in whatever way they choose. This is what makes Little Brothers special – they know that communication can come from more than language, it comes through in actions and decisions, experiences and games, stories and drawings.”
Thank you Jen for those incredible words of wisdom! Make sure you catch our blog next week for some more great advice from our program participants!
***EDIT UPDATE 4/30/18- Wisdom Wednesdays will not be a blog every week. It will be highlighted on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram in a different style.**