Wellness with Emphasis on Mental Health Intern | Friends Home in Kennett, Kennett Square, PA
This position is part of the Friends Services Alliance (FSA) Internship program and will be held at Friends Home in Kennett, Kennett Square, PA
Overview:
Friends Home in Kennett is a non-profit organization dedicated to providing quality care in a homelike atmosphere for older men and women of modest means. We encourage independence and we respect the individuality of dignity of all in keeping with the values of the Religious Society of Friends.
Our Vision: Friends Home in Kennett, building on more than a century of experience, will continue to be a leader in offering quality services to older persons based upon Quaker principles and values. We strive to provide the best person-centered care considering each resident’s physical, emotional, cognitive and spiritual needs in a caring community.
Strategic Plan: Since its opening in 1898, Friends Home has occupied a small home built in 1843. Through the years, the home has expanded in size as well as amenities. Friends Home is in the center of the Kennett Borough and within walking distance to restaurants, art galleries, markets and the library. This ability to easily access the resources of the borough provides our residents with a strong sense of community. Programming to further enhance community involvement both for our seniors and the Friends Home service to the community is ongoing.
Our culture and programming are based on the Montessori philosophy: “to enable individuals to be as independent as possible, to have a meaningful place in their community, to have high self-esteem, and to have the opportunity to make choices and meaningful contributions to their community.”
Internship Description:
This program will give interns not only theoretical knowledge, but also practical skills necessary for working with older people.
Program of Work:
1. Introduction to the psychology of old age and the specifics of working in a nursing home
- The main age-related changes (cognitive, emotional, social)
- Features of adaptation of the elderly to a new environment
- Ethics of work with the elderly
- The role of a psychologist in an interdisciplinary team
2. Emotional states of the elderly: depression, anxiety, loneliness
- How to recognize and differentiate depression and anxiety in the elderly
- Factors that increase the feeling of loneliness
- Practical methods of psychological support
3. Cognitive impairment and dementia: approaches to communication and support
- The difference between normal aging and pathology
- How to communicate appropriately with people with dementia
- Supporting memory and cognitive activity
4. Work with special groups: emotionally closed, aggressive, anxious patients
- Psychological portraits of different types of residents
- Strategies of interaction and building trusting relationships
- Practice: analysis of real cases
5. Group work and leisure activity as a method of psychological rehabilitation
- The importance of social activities for the mental health of the elderly
- Examples of group activities and their influence on emotional state
- Participation of interns in group activities with residents
6. Psychological burnout and emotional stability in work with the elderly
- The main causes of burnout in specialists
- Ways of self-regulation and emotional unloading
- Practicum: techniques of working with stress
Accommodations
Friends Home in Kennett has an apartment available in the Community, and the intern will also be able to utilize the dining room.
Apply here.
Why Intern in Aging Services?
Get experience in one of the fastest growing career sectors! The number of Americans ages 65 and older is projected to nearly double from 52 million in 2018 to 95 million by 2060. Aging Services organizations have many positions including management, marketing, social work, and IT. Friends Services Alliance (FSA) has positions available at organizations located in PA, MD and OH. Over the past 12 years, we have placed more than 60 interns in several different FSA member locations. Many of these students had not considered working in the senior living field prior to their internship.
Having – or being – an intern can be a life-changing experience. Read some success stories:
- Experiences of our past interns.
-Internships can lead to a fulfilling career change.
- Resident life can benefit from FSA interns.
As part of an initiative seeking to identify and develop the next generation of leaders, FSA has partnered with Friends Foundation for the Aging to create an internship program for students at who wish to learn about working in the field of aging services. Accepted students experience organizational life within an FSA member organization for two months during the summer. Each intern will have an onsite preceptor to ensure their success. That host will have experience in the field which will give the opportunity for the student to learn directly from a mentor. Interns have worked in several different departments, including Administration, Human Resources, Social Work and Dining Services.
Interns must receive academic credit for their experience and be supported by a faculty member of their educational institution in establishing academic goals for the project. Each intern will be supervised by an experienced onsite manager who will assist with learning goals.
Interns are provided:
- Preceptor/Host Onsite
- Possibility of a monthly stipend (2 months). Dates are flexible and arranged with the host site.
- Reimbursement for travel expenses incurred for the initial trip to and the return trip from the host site.