some other services
Harry Nash
Just before I took retirement from my accountancy practice in April 2005 I saw a flyer in my synagogue,
I thought this was an opportune moment to thank Jewish Care for the attention that they gave to my mother, and at the same time would fill up my diary.
I now run a Reminiscence group there on a monthly or fortnightly basis which I find both challenging, frustrating but always rewarding. Some of my “clientele” sadly suffer with dementia but nevertheless they make an effort to join my group and I find it very satisfactory when I am able to make the group interact not only with me, but with each other. I use my own material, as I have a collection of film books and theatrical journals going back to the 1930s and I also use the excellent Reminiscence Library provided by Jewish Care.
I feel enormous satisfaction during a session when we have an impromptu “sing along”. Given that my last public singing performance was my Bar Miitzvah, I feel real nachas when, for example, I am talking about Vera Lynn, and I begin singing (badly) “The White Cliffs of Dover”, then to my amazement, all the group join in! The sign of a good session is that when we break for lunch, the residents walk into the dining area happily singing a selection of songs from Vera Lynn, The Andrews Sisters and Sophie Tucker!
In the main, most of the residents are appreciative of all the volunteers, and I know that I have “got through to them” because on my next visit, even those with dementia, recognise and respond to me, even if they forget my name. To my mind, volunteering is very rewarding, and I can only emphasise how important it is for the residents of the homes to see faces from the outside world and be able to discuss daily events which are happening in this country and the world.
The residents are a wonderful source of truly fascinating information and memories. As a volunteer I feel privileged to be able to tap into this information, not only for the help and stimulation it gives to the residents, but with appreciation for the knowledge they give to me about Judaism in London’s East End in the early 20th century.
As you will see from the Pirates of the Caribbean photo, when I’m not volunteering for Jewish Care, I am a film extra!
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