The Gift of Giving

It’s a place that is dreaded by most; a place of loneliness, a place of last resort. For me, it was a place of friendship and joy. I stumbled across The Gibson Retirement Home when I was in University. I had enrolled in the course called Women & Aging without truly understanding what the class entailed. I remember attending the first class and hearing the professor mention in passing that we should provide her with the name of the retirement home where we would be volunteering. I turned to the student next to me and asked “what is she talking about, what retirement home?” Apparently, as part of the course, each student was to complete 20 hours of volunteer at a retirement home of their choosing and document their experiences in a journal.  At the time, I had a full course load, and couldn’t image adding an additional 20 hours of volunteer work. I didn’t even know where I could volunteer. Luckily, fate intervened on my way to a friend’s house and I found myself at the entrance of The Gibson Retirement Home in North York. I didn’t know then what a profound effect this retirement home would have on me.

 

When I walked into The Gibson for the first time, it was the beautiful 2-story atrium that captured my attention. It was so open and inviting – it felt like a home, rather than a retirement facility. The exquisite gardens, the cottage-like gazebo, the kitchen area and the amenities were spectacular. I especially liked the large sitting area upstairs, ideal for visits with friends and family. It was the perfect location for the daily 3:00 p.m. “Tea Time” that I attended frequently. Spending time with the residents, learning about their families, their trials and tribulations over a cup of tea was my favourite part of the day.  
 
The best part of The Gibson Retirement Home was the vast selection of activities they offered for their residents; movie nights, bingo, shopping trips, parties - there was always an event for everyone. While I was volunteering there, I had the opportunity to participate in a few of my own activities, including weekly manicure sessions and baking classes. Once a week, I mixed ingredients and baked cookies and sweets with the ladies that we would later serve to the other residents at “Tea Time.” They loved the treats and I loved the company.      

A project that started out as a class assignment ended up being much more than a series of journal entries. I had the privilege of meeting some very special people, and learning a great deal about life.