• Learn something about your prospective friend before visiting: interests, background, limitations and needs.
• Touch and hug. Physical touch can go a long way toward letting the resident know you care.
• Respect confidence. Keep private conversations private.
• Be a good listener. Your friend may often have no one else sho spends time to talk.
• Keep promises. Be careful what you promise. Never say anything unless you mean it.
• Be conscientious about meeting your scheduled visits.
• Encourage friendship among the residents.
• Be gentle, kind and sincere.
• Respect privacy. Knock before entering a room.
• Remember that residents are adults and should be treated as such. Accept and respect each resident as a unique individual, regardless of mental or physical condition.
• Remember that you are a vital part of the community; so is the resident.
  

DON'T

• Be a clock-watcher while visiting. Quality, not quantity of time is important.
• Feel obliged to solve the personal problems of the resident. Just being there to listen and empathize is important.
• Let the resident dwell on negative feelings. Allow them to express themselves, then move on to a positive activity.
• Bring food items for the resident before clearing it with the activity director or nurse.
• Attempt to give nursing care or perform duties of paid staff such as lifting or transferring.

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