Volunteering with Senior Citizens

Expanish Volunteering with Senior citizens programs offers participating volunteers the chance to work directly with senior citizens with the aim of improving their overall quality of life.

The Program

Volunteers are needed to provide support, companionship, time and skills to Senior Citizens living in Buenos Aires. These elderly people live in a situation of social vulnerability, due to economic and other factors. Some of them live on the streets and go to community centers where they will receive their only meal of the day.

Range of Responsibilities

You will have the opportunity to engage in conversation (senior citizens have a great need of communication!), participate in the various activities that are organized by the center, help in the kitchen and share meals. Seniors benefit from the care and attention provided by volunteers, since many of them are alone in the world.

Why this Project Needs You

After the last economic crisis in 2001, many families were separated, since it became a necessity to go find job opportunities elsewhere. Many senior citizens ended up alone, many lost their savings and it was almost impossible for them to find another job. For many, pensions are very low considering inflation. This created an environment of isolation and hindered access to health services that affect our elderly population. Volunteers are needed to share quality time with this forgotten generation, engage in activities that keep their minds and bodies active, improving their quality of living.

Culture Shock

The Senior Citizen projects are medium culture shock, since the realities encountered are hard. However, the spirit of these centers is joyful and the priority is always the physical and emotional well being of the seniors. The centers are located in working class neighborhoods of the city and suburbs.

Requirements

All volunteers need to take two weeks of Spanish group classes before starting their volunteer program. You will find that the two weeks of Spanish will help you immensely in not only communicating with your colleagues, but also the people you are there to help and ensure a richer experience. The more Spanish you know, the greater amount of tasks you will find yourself involved with as English may not always be spoken.

Example Tasks

• Play board games with the seniors.
• Help in the kitchen.
• Help serving meals.
• Organization of the donations.
• Assistance in the library.
• Conversation.
• Make crosswords with them.
• Help them with their exercise.