Budge-Stift

Seit Nadine hier ist war klar, dass sie einen Teil ihrer Praktikumszeit in einem Altenheim verbringt. In ihrer ersten Email an mich äußerte Nadine bereits diesen Wunsch, da ihr der Umgang mit alten Menschen besonders am Herzen liegt - so ist sie es auch aus ihrer Kultur gewöhnt. Und da sie inzwischen auch gut deutsch sprechen kann fühlt sie sich dieser Herausforderung gewachsen. Seit zwei Wochen geht sie immer für drei Tage die Woche ins Budge-Heim (FFM/Seckbach). Wie sie ihre erste Zeit dort erlebt hat, lesen Sie hier:

"I have longed to work with the old and now is the time. I have been three times to the retirement home and there I find fulfillment. The Budge Retirement home have approximately six hundred inmates, Jews and Christians Life expectancy is of course higher here in Europe than with us in Cameroon or Africa as a whole. Hundreds are rare cases in my country, totally a contrast to what I have experience during my first days in the retirement home. That aside, the old in my country stay back home with the families. There is totally the absence of retirement homes in my country, thus the old are bound to stay and spend their old days with the families. The still competent old people even take care of the grand and great grand children while the parents strife to meet end means for the family.
Life seems quite interesting here in the retirement home especially for the still physically fit ones. That aside some of them feel very sad separating from their families and leaving all alone with people they had never known all their life. This can also be difficult for those working with them if they are not capable of fighting or suppressing their emotions.
Long life expectancy can also be disadvantageous. I have come in contact with very old who can neither set not eat by themselves. Day in day out, they lie in bed waiting for death to knock at their doors. Some I was told even refuse food with the hope that death will come in to no avail.
Spending time with the old is of course a great experience. You learn about the past and offer to them your time and service .Just a walk with them or serving them at table invokes abundant gratitude more than deserved. It is a time of rest but it can also be a hard rest depending on the expectations one put forward to this time.
Personally I fill happy being with them though it is difficult for me when some of them are sad but my presence seem also very welcomed by a handful of them."