Thursday, September 3, 2015

FINDING MY VOYCE

 
The one positive aspect of living here is that I have become affiliated with Voyce. Voyce is an organization that advocates for those of us living in long-term care communities. My goal was to become an Ombudsman.

An Ombudsman is a person who acts as a liaison between staff and residents. They address resident grievances and concerns and assist in finding solutions.  Transportation issues and other factors, made attending the necessary classes difficult for me. I was disappointed.

After r
eading my blog, the staff at Voyce asked me to write essays for them.  VOYCE wanted to know what my life is like now that I live in a facility. I was told that a set of questions would be drafted from my essays.  I would be answering the questions on videotape. They wanted me to tell my story. 

The video will be shared with staff and residents from facilities in the area.

It took a while to coordinate everyone's schedules. August 27th was the day of filming. I'd done all the things women do to prepare for special events. I got my hair and nails done, chose a dressy outfit, and even had my eyebrows waxed. I was nervous but I was ready.

Setting up the equipment took time. There were lights, a camera, and a tripod. Finally, everything was set. I looked into the camera and I was asked the first question. 

I talked about everything. What it was like for me here daily. I was asked what needed to be improved to make things better for both the residents and staff. Once I began talking I couldn't stop. Someone was listening. It was cathartic. I was interviewed for over an hour. The entire process took about three hours. By the time we were finished, I was tired but satisfied with the issues I had shared in the video.

People were telling me I would be famous. I didn't consent to be part of the project for personal gain. Sure, it was fun preparing for the video,  I felt glamorous and special.  I consented to be part of the project because I hope the video will make a difference. That has always been my goal in whatever project I have undertaken.   Thank you to the staff at Voyce for allowing me to tell my story.  I hope it gets people thinking and talking. That's the first step in creating change.

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