SHARED LOVE OF MUSIC HELPED ME CONNECT WITH CARE HOME RESIDENT

摘要

There can be acts of compassion, but compassion is not an act. Compassion has no time frame or limitations. It is a way of being and a state of mind, not simply something we do to others. This is how I came to define compassion through a module I completed as part of my nursing degree at the University of York.The module challenged my opinions, ideas and ethics. Creative writing was used to promote understanding of compassionate care and to raise awareness of how we think and feel about older people. The module comprised taught sessions to allow our writing skills to develop, and a one-week care home placement to spend time with a resident who would inspire our storytelling. This was followed by further taught sessions to enable writing and reflections on the relationships we had developed with residents.The lecturers pushed us to create our own team dynamic.