Until a few years ago I never thought that one of my grandparents would be in a nursing home. I have always been lucky to have them healthy. However, that changed about a year ago, when my grandfather had a mini-stroke, which forced him to require extra care that my grandmother couldn't provide. Watching my family deal with my grandfather made me aware of the care and services that seniors need and made me realize how important it is to volunteer at a local nursing home. My grandfather's stroke affected his legs and his memory, which made his work difficult. him to walk. At first my grandfather used a cane, but his legs had become too weak, so he tried a walker, but it only lasted a month. Not only could he not walk or take care of himself, but he also began to lie awake at night and fall out of bed. My family started looking at nursing homes. It took weeks before I finally decided. Unfortunately he will have to stay there until he improves, both mentally and physically. Since the summer I have been volunteering at his nursing home because I saw how lonely some of the residents were. I volunteered two days a week during the summer, which I continued. I learned many things about nursing homes and the factors to consider when choosing one, including the residents' quality of life, the care they receive, their surroundings, and the nursing home's payment policy. I worked with the recreation director, who plans activities for residents. I painted women's nails and read them letters from their children. Additionally, I have helped with special days such as Ice Cream Day, Summer Picnic Day, and Clown Around Day. We create special coded words for each. I also took patients for walks. We also organize birthday parties and gymnastics days. Thanks to my volunteering I met a new friend: Irene. She has a family, but they live far away and cannot visit her often. Our friendship grew over the summer. She grew up in Shelton and lived in Milford before coming home. He has two children who rarely visit. Her grandchildren, however, come to visit her every weekend.