Sec 2 Service Learning to Lentor Residence

My experience of the local service learning trip was unexpected and great. I expected it to be boring and tiresome and I was prepared to get scolded by the elderly at the Lentor Residences. Contrary to my expectations, the elderly were generally kind and sweet towards us. The Personal Care Assistances told us that the elderly have mood swings and they can be moody and throw tantrum sometimes but most of the time they are mild mannered and jovial. I then realised that they were just like all of us. It was a little challenging at the beginning to start making conversations with them but my friends and I somehow managed. It was interesting to listen to elderly’s stories about their lives and the experienced they had when they were younger. We did not just have conversations, we also prepared activities for them elderly such as colouring, we played pick-up-stick with some of the elderly who had better motor skills than others. However, it was truly saddening to see the elderly who had poor memory as they were unware of their surroundings. When we played card games with the elderly some of them enjoyed it very much and even tried to cheat in the game to make us laugh. Through this local service learning experience, I learnt to forgive and forget as when we reach their age, I think friendship is important than holding onto grudges.

Written by: Hnin Sat Phyu Sin (2C2)