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Students and Interns Foster Lasting Relationships at Carol Woods

It’s hard to tell who is learning more—the residents or the volunteers at Carol Woods. High school and college students are spending time with residents almost every day of the week. And, while they are here, the students are enriching residents’ lives by doing things as simple as lending a hand to read mail to more involved tasks such as tape recording stories a resident wants to pass on to their grandchildren.

Carol Woods currently has fifteen high school students volunteering from Chapel Hill High and East Chapel Hill High. They are on campus to fulfill their “service learning” requirements and to acquire experiences that will last them a lifetime and help them in future job endeavors.

Pam Johnson, the Resource Coordinator in the Department of Well-Being at Carol Woods, works with the students and residents to match each one up by finding similar interests. Once the match is made, Johnson watches as the students become amazed as they hear and observe what residents are doing in their personal lives—working, traveling, enjoying art, music, and other active hobbies.

“The key to it is to get them to have a personal experience right away…the magic begins immediately,” said Johnson.

Ten interns from local colleges are also gaining experience in the aging services field and some find their interests shifting in a new direction. In the last 6 months, 3 student volunteers have switched their interest from Psychology, Business and working with children to the gerontology field.

A UNC student from South Korea who was originally studying Political Science was involved in the A.P.P.L.E.S. (Assisting People in Planning Learning Experiences in Service) Program, which required her to perform thirty hours of volunteer work and write a research paper. The student was assigned to Carol Woods to experience an environment where she would gain her learning experience and have the opportunity to work closely with residents. As her relationships grew, her interests took a different turn. Because of these experiences, she made the decision to switch from the Political Science major to working in the Gerontology field.

Volunteers never find themselves doing the same tasks each day. A one hundred year old resident recently requested that a student come to her apartment and polish her dresser. Other volunteers find themselves talking with residents for hours, resulting in meaningful social interaction for both parties.

Some students come because of academic requirements, but there are others that miss their grandparents or are just interested in helping others. Johnson finds that residents want to be around younger people and are fascinated by what young people are doing these days.

“When they meet real kids who are willing to volunteer and give back to the community it just gives them so much more hope for the future,” Johnson related. A lot of residents do not have families that live locally, and this chance for interaction is a special treat to those who miss their grandchildren.

Joan Ewing, a Carol Woods resident of about seven years, calls volunteers “our feet.” These students complete tasks for the residents that may seem simple, but can be difficult for someone who is going through physical challenges.  The residents greatly appreciate volunteers doing such chores as picking up and writing greeting cards, updating address books, and depositing checks.

When asked what Ewing likes best about having volunteers around, she replied, “They supply us with energy we need.”

Brandon Isley, a UNC Chapel Hill senior, is volunteering at Carol Woods for his “Adulthood and Aging” class requirements. Isley stays busy by also working at a group home in Asheboro, at Abercrombie & Fitch, at his apartment complex in Chapel Hill and still finds time for his academic and volunteer priorities. His experience with residents has opened his eyes to the aging services field and he has enjoyed his time spent with them. Isley views coming to CW as a refreshing activity because the residents are so lively and active.

Isley was recently introduced to Gladys Matthewson, a Carol Woods resident of ten years, who enjoyed strolling around the buildings and pointing out all the sights to Isley. Matthewson and Isley both grew up in North Carolina, and enjoyed discussing their towns as they browsed through an atlas to show each other where they lived.

When later asked if he would ever consider going into the aging services field, Isley replied, “Up until today, I was definitely leaning towards ‘no’. Meeting Ms. Matthewson actually did a lot to change that. Spending the little bit of time walking around with her having her explain things to me—I really enjoyed doing that.”

“You can learn a lot from them. Being here and talking to the many residents over in the health center…I’ve learned about NASA, the CIA and its beginnings, about North Carolina. I like listening to stories, it’s a lot of fun and I’ve really enjoyed it.”

Matthewson enjoyed spending time with Isley, and likes to tell the students and other young people that “if they ever need anything, just call me.”

Jenny Eller, a Social Worker in the Assisted Living Center and a former Carol Woods intern herself, had originally planned to go into Hospice Care before her 1-½ year internship. A UNC student, Eller had a mentor in Grad school that placed her at Carol Woods, and the rest is history. The biggest reason that helped Jenny decide to go into long-term care was seeing Carol Woods’ mission being put into practice.

“The philosophy of care, the position of Carol Woods, what our mission is, how devoted they are to helping students, and helping promote aging in the community was evident in everything that happened here. You hear it all the time-- staff doesn’t just say ‘we have a vision, we have a mission’ ---staff members live by it,” Eller said.

Another Carol Woods Social Worker, LaShandra McLaughlin, enjoys being involved in helping students make meaningful and lasting impressions on the residents. McLaughlin helps identify residents that could benefit from additional support, and provides supervision support for the volunteer and resident.

“Carol Woods creates a great space for learning positive things about older adults,” McLaughlin said. Her two interns include a Shaw University student completing a Bachelors degree in Social Work and a UNC student working on a Masters in Social Work.

“Carol Woods is a unique place, and our resident population is very unique. For the students it gives them a different perspective on aging they have had before,” McLaughlin said.