Conversations with residents a highlight of student’s Village Green placement
‘They have years and years of experience and stories that they love to tell and love to talk about,’ says Griffin Newton
Griffin Newton says his favourite part of his two-month student placement at Village Green was the time he spent getting to know the Greater Napanee long-term care home’s residents.
Griffin, a Grade 13 student at Napanee District Secondary School, recently completed his co-op placement at Village Green. The experience has helped shape his career path, and he has applied to Loyalist College’s recreation and leisure program for the September intake.
As part of his placement, Griffin spent much of his time helping with activities and playing games or reading newspapers with residents.
It was through the time he spent with residents that Griffin says he learned a great deal about the people living at Village Green.
“They have years and years of experience and stories that they love to tell and love to talk about,” Griffin says.
“If you are a people person, they love to talk and they love to talk with you because their stories have been a big, monumental part of their lives and you have to be able to listen.”
One memorable moment for Griffin came when he was reading a newspaper with residents. Walter Gretzky, the father of NHL legend Wayne Gretzky, had recently passed away and there was an article about the world’s most famous hockey dad.
It turned out one of the residents knew the elder Gretzky many years ago.
“When (the resident) knew him, he sold cheese back in the day, and the other residents didn’t know that, so that was one of the great stories I heard,” Griffin says.
Griffin, who has also been working as a front-door screener during the pandemic, says having these conversations gave him “a new perspective” on people living at Village Green. Hearing about their stories and experiences was a chance to get to know them on a different level.
“I also love working there and being down there and interacting with the residents and, right now, taking their mind off of everything, especially with COVID,” he says.
– This is Part 2 of a two-part story
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