Hi all,

I am a 1-year-old regular volunteer in NUS Students’ Community Service Club. There are several Regular Volunteering Programmes (RVPs) which cater to the kids, youths, Intellectually Disabled (ID), elderly & terminally-ill. Personally, I have chosen to visit the elderly & terminally-ill. For this reflection, I will be sharing my experience about the terminally-ill in the RVP, HCA Hospice Care.

Kolb’s learning cycle consists of:

(1) Concrete experience involving direct, immediate experience, and a stimulation of the learners’ feelings

Home patients with projected lifespans of 3 to 12 months are referred to us by HCA Hospice Care for housekeeping & befriending duties. Housekeeping can be considered as a passive & indirect experience. Think sweeping the floor & “cleaner’s high”. Befriending would best exemplify concrete experience. It is one of the best ways to show care & concern. However, we are afraid of asking the wrong questions.

(2) Reflective observation involving intently observing experiences & reflecting on their meaning

Recently, my friend asked a patient, “So, what are your plans for the Chinese New Year?”

The patient replied, “Look at me now. What plans do you think I can have?”

An awkward silence followed. Why? Why is it that a genuinely positive question could trigger an unexpectedly negative response? Don’t we ask our friends that question too?

(3) Abstract conceptualization involving thinking & creating generalizations & concepts that organize experience, action & observations

Maybe the silence meant that the question was inappropriate? Maybe the patient was afraid to think of his/her future? New generalization learnt: Do not ask the dying about their plans.

(4) Active experimentation involving the use of generalizations or theories from the previous step to guide further action

= Retry! Maybe the question could be asked after some simple surveying of the patient.

Does he/she look/sound pessimistic in the first place?

Does he/she have plans for the near future, i.e. tomorrow? If he/she has such plans, he/she might have plans for the Chinese New Year & might be willing to talk about her plans.

Such active experimentations contribute back to concrete experience. With this, one should bear in mind that learning can never be complete. Have fun learning!

P.S. I have missed the first lesson due to a Keppel career talk. I thank Angeline for taking down notes for me. For more information about NUSCSC HCA, do visit http://hcavolunteers.wordpress.com/