At the start she would shy away from ward duties and tended to help in the kitchen. “I was nervous about talking to older patients,” Janaki recalls. “But over time I became more confident as I realised that patients with dementia could be anxious or upset and I could help them.”
She remembers a particular patient who had dementia. “They revealed to me that they felt confused and they were struggling to remember things. I realised that just being with them and talking to them was comforting and helped to make them feel safe. At the end of the conversation, they told me they felt lighter.”
Volunteering has really helped Janaki to understand more about communicating with patients. “I learned how important it is to develop a good bedside manner and to adapt how you talk and interact with individuals depending on their needs,” she explains.