I’m a sitter at a hospital for elderly residents now.

There’s this adorable little lady I got to watch today because she gets a lot of anxiety when she’s alone which makes her get up to find someone and she’s a fall risk so I get to sit with her and keep her company to make sure she doesn’t. She likes to have her hand held and doesn’t want me to leave her side. I got to take her to the dining room tonight for dinner and when she was served she took a big bite of her sandwich. I asked her if it was good and she nodded her head yes at me vigorously with her cheek still full of food and it was one of the cutest things I’ve ever seen. 🥺 It’s really interesting to see how much we turn back into kids in our old age.

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Pressure

You'll find a few gems at the retirement home

Reject · 31-35, M

@Pressure Yes! It’s been a big transition for me. I went from being a security guard at a casino where my job was to break up fights to being a companion for old folks. Night and day, but gems in both.

ronisme1 · 61-69, M

@Reject how do you get started doing this?

Reject · 31-35, M

@ronisme1 Well the sitter position I got has minimal training. It’s entry level. You just fill out an application and do a good job at your interview. If you wanted to become something further up like a certified nursing assistant then that takes a bit more training.

ronisme1 · 61-69, M

@Reject thanks, not interested in money. I'm retired and msybe i can do some good

Reject · 31-35, M

@ronisme1 I think you absolutely could! One of my coworkers is the best sitter we have and she’s 72 and retired. She does it just to occupy herself and she adores taking care of our residents. Our job is to be companions. We are the emotional care while the nurses handle the physical care.

ronisme1 · 61-69, M

@Reject i do have a medical background and with a midwife helped deliver 1 of my kids and did deliver my youngest with her looking over my shoulder. I was pre-med in college but had to stop for the birth of my oldest with a paying job. Couldnt afford school

Reject · 31-35, M

@ronisme1 You sound like you’d be a great sitter honestly. Wanting to do good and a medical background delivering kids to show how much you do care about human life. It’s also one of the jobs that is available to older people because it’s not too physically demanding.

ronisme1 · 61-69, M

@Reject thank you for giving me a option. You are truly a wonderful person for what you do.

Reject · 31-35, M

@ronisme1 Hey, I’m happy to. Thank you for all you’ve done as well. Just from this conversation and your age I can tell you’ve already been an important part of many lives. The fact that you still want to keep doing so also says a lot about your character. A lot of good.

ronisme1 · 61-69, M

@Reject thanks, i should have started early like you