Jufen Long's ePortfolio

On November 7, 2012 which was just one week after Hurricane Sandy, Grand Street Settlement house was half filled with seniors. Even through there was no heat, many seniors still made their efforts to go to this Senior Center. they said that even there is no heat, they still wanted to continue their daily routines as the regular days by wearing more clothes. most of them believed that socialization with their peers are more important than anything else.

I interviewed one senior who came from Queens. She said that she like Senior Center very much because she had been participant in this Senior Center for many years. She said that she would make every effort to attend as long as she is able to walk even if she has to take a long trip to get to there.

On September 12, 2012, I met 73 years old client Mr. CL who was a healthy and strong looking man in Grand Street Settlement House. Mr. CL is not only a member of the GSSH who gets his lunch and other social activities in the facility but also an active volunteer who participates in helping with different tasks.I said that he looks strong and healthy because by looking at him I did not see any obvious illnesses on him.

However, by having a conversation with him, I learned that he is a cancer survivor who has suffered many difficulties. Mr. CL told me that he was diagnosed with a type of cancer inside his nose that spreaded to his upper part of the neck 2 years ago. He received both chemo and radiation therapies for the past 2 years and is currently suffering a very dry mouth that makes him not sleep well in the nights, and has a very poor appetite.

I meant communication is key to understand how one lives because by communicating with others I will understand what they had went through in their lives or just something that they are suffering. Just like in Mr. Cl’s case, by only look at him physically, I will never would have figured out what is happening in his life and what kind of help he needs, but by having conversation with him I learned what his needs are. For example, I was able to instruct him to drink more water, to suck hard candies and ice chips to alleviate the dry mouth, and instruct him to eat small frequent meals to meet his nutrition needs due to his poor appetite.