Young people gain valuable insights into home economics and care
In order to make it easier for teenagers to find a career and at the same time offer elderly people a special experience in a retirement home, the "Domizil am Leimbach" of Arbeiter-Samariter-Bund Mannheim/Rhein-Neckar is launching a new student project. The idea behind this initiative is to provide teenagers with practical experience in the field of housekeeping and care. The teenagers from the Pestalozzi School in Sandhausen are planning to open a senior citizens' café at their school next year. To this end, the students of the special education and counseling center would like to acquire the necessary knowledge in advance and prepare themselves for the needs of senior citizens. In return, the residents of the ASB nursing home will visit and test the new senior café at the Pestalozzi School next year.
Practical experience in dealing with seniors
The project, initiated by two trainee teachers from the Pestalozzi School, is designed to give 7th grade students a chance to learn about the lives and needs of the elderly and to get a taste of the professional world of a retirement home.
Under the expert guidance of experienced ASB nursing and care staff, the young people are introduced to housekeeping and caring for seniors. They gain insight into daily routines and learn how to deal with seniors, games, employment opportunities, serving meals, etc.
At the kick-off event before the summer vacations, the teenagers already received an introduction to important hygiene measures. Under black light, the 12- to 14-year-olds could immediately test how well the disinfection of their hands worked. From October to January they will then be at "Domizil am Leimbach". There they will have the opportunity to spend time with the residents and look after them. In addition to important theoretical knowledge, the young people learn how to communicate empathetically and treat the elderly with respect. This not only promotes an understanding of the seniors' needs, but also social skills and empathy. Next year, the senior citizens of the ASB nursing home want to visit the senior citizens' café of "their" students and test it on site.
Jennifer Rudek, facility manager of the ASB senior citizens' home in Sandhausen, is looking forward to the project, which will benefit students and residents alike: "We are building a bridge between the generations, can simplify the teenagers' career choices and show them prospects. In the care sector, for example, many jobs are possible even without vocational training. What is necessary, he says, is a heart for the seniors and their needs.
