Talk therapy

In the last few weeks I have been learning about the benefits of talking. I think most of us like to talk, stay connected, thats why almost everywhere you go someone is on their cell phone.....some talking loudly and annoying others. But there are people who don't talk much. I am working on an AST class so I volunteer at a hospital in an activities center where people go for rehabilitation before discharge. One of my duties is to provide one on one visitation to the patients and just basically talk to them for a while. Many patients are elderly and some have been plagued with a long list of health problems. The hospital is not where most people want to be; everything is on a strict schedule...meds, eating, assessments, therapy etc. If you don't feel like getting up at 6:00 to have your blood pressure taken, too bad. If you can't stomach the grey hamburger for lunch one more time...oh well. So in addition to being sick, many are stressed out and they are disconnected from family and friends. So I sit down and ask how they are doing...(sort of a dumb question), and I dig around and try to get to know them a little...something I mastered after years as a hairdresser. Some are a little guarded, but most of the time we make a connection. We share each others company, and for a short time they have a friend and a break from the hospital routine. We talk about anything, and they become people instead of patients. When our time is over, we shake hands and share a smile. Then I walk by another room and catch a glimpse of someone else, I wonder what their story is. Last weekend I went out for chinese food. My fortune cookie read "When you help a friend, you help yourself". I think those cookie people are right.