What to expect when working with veterans?

Question

I'm volunteering at a local Veterans Hospital. The positions I requested have a lot of contact with the veterans. My Uncle said I have no idea what I'm getting myself into. What should
I expect if I do get the opportunity to do this?

I want to major in art therapy and work with vets, but feel I should get a feel to what working with them is like to be sure of my choice. I have the utmost respect for veterans.

And before anyone replies being rude, I understand PTSD, and I am not startled by amputations or any other "deformities."

Answer 1

Expect a wide variety of people with various illnesses and ailments. You'll see plenty of amputees and PTSD and other mental health issues but you'll also see vets in hospice dying of cancer and sick with Alzheimer's. A lot of what you will experience will be based on what section of the hospital you work in.

Answer 2

What to expect just depends on the individuals there at that particular hospital.



I think the admonition from your uncle is derived from veterans that, due to PTSD or any number of other things, just never really readjusted to civilization back home. There are a number of vets from Vietnam and every war since that find extreme difficulty in returning to their lives.



After a while, this leads, for some people, to a very debilitating way of life and a state of mind that victimizes itself and lashes out at things and people openly.



So you may have been warned about a type of attitude you may or may not encounter (or be inundated by) when you go.



As someone who has mild PTSD from deployment, I can say that, given the right situation and level of trust, it helps me to talk about what I've seen and done. Other people just aren't ready for that yet, though, so... it just varies.



I support your decision and encourage you to give it a shot. You may also want to ask your uncle to clarify what he means, too - may give you some better insight on specific information.

Answer 3

Most Vets are pretty layed back. If they have been around the VA for very long, they learn patience. Things don't happen very fast at a VA and these guys and gals are well trained for that; hurry up and wait !



Like any other demographic, there are some who are impatient and even abusive, often it's the older Vets who display this. It's probably out of frustration so they just let them rant. If they haven't an audience, they calm down. Often it is real pain, and that can wear on anyone, but you will learn how to respond to each and every one, once you get your feet wet.

Answer 4

Good for you. As a veteran and an employee of the VA hospital system I can honestly say welcome. Working in the VA is unusual in that all of the clients you will encounter share the experience of having served their country. On the other hand, they are the same people you see every day in all walks of life. Not all veterans had the same experience, they certainly have different problems and are in no way a uniform group. If you show a genuine interest in your assigned veterans they are very likely to share with you their stories. Treasure that aspect, over the years I have talked with survivors of the Bataan Death March, the Normandy invasion, German POW camps, and the Tet Offensive. Listen to them and remember what they have done.

And have fun! It's a good place to be.

Answer 5

This question isn't answerable. Vets are as diverse as the rest of the population. I'm a vet, 28 year old college student and father of two, I go to the same VA clinic as 80 year old retired farmers with 12 brothers and sisters. The next person in line at the VA is a 50 year old black woman who retired as a Sergeant Major.



So you can't expect to work with one type of person. There will be a lot of Vietnam and Korea Vets but those wont be the only people you will work with.

Answer 6

My advice is vague but I find would hold true in most situations. We all know respect is a two way street, but for me our veterans deserve more respect than your average person-- although they will not demand it. Warfare today is nothing like what they had to endure.



That being said many of the older veterans are very proud people, so as much admiration you may have ensure you don't slip into the realm of treating them like children in your attempt to help them.



Some will want to talk about their experiences and some won't. The ones that do be a good listener, who knows maybe they dont have any family to share with. The ones that don't want to talk about it find an interest like sports or news and take time to bring in a news clipping to discuss. They'll appreciate the time you spend with them.

Answer 7

In most cases, vets are no-nonsense and straight to the point types of people - state what you want and get to it.



You may have some problem with trying "art therapy" with them, as they will probably say that it's "stupid." If you try to do "therapy" you'd better tell them what's in it for them (WIIFM - what's in it for me) - OR not tell them it's therapy at all, just that they are going to "paint"...



Good luck!



Oh, by the way, they/we REALLY like to BS. Smile and be appreciative and do lots of "Oohs" and "Aahs" and only believe about 10% of what you hear.

Answer 8

You will run into many who served and served with honor and distinction. However, their military career was the highlight of their lives, it wasn;t a part of their lives, it was the highlight of their lives..

Many obtained rank, but in their civilian jobs they never were in a position to give orders to anyone. They got out of the military because they wanted to , then spent the rest of their lives wishing they had stayed in.

So , prepare yourself for an endless stream of war stories, and : stories that begin with ""If I had stayed in."

I mean no disrespect to any of these men. However, after hearing my father describe how he was an MP in The Phillipines for the 800th time, it got a little stale.

Listen, to them, agree with him, nod your head, because as sad as it may seem, you will be the only visitor they get to see.

Answer 9

Thanks for your caring...

Take all the positives you read on here

and forget the rest...some people are

just Trolls...



Art therapy worked wonders for me...

and have seen it work for lots of other

Combat Veterans also...



The Grumpy Vets will be your best source

of Art Therapy...will ***** and moan...

But will really get into it...

Answer 10

Pretty much what you could get at a regular institution; except that your clients will be 75% men of a certain age. Some will be very cordial and happy to see you, while others will be curmudgeons who resent being there.

Answer 11

You'll see people like my dad, he has diabetes. Just normal people for the most part, he usually goes to get his colonoscopy. That's just one of the VA hospital users!

Answer 12

wtf is art therapy? it sounds like something for kids who werent hugged enough by their mommies.(you'll get that a lot from vets, its as much an actual questions and a repeated experience you'll have).

um if your young and attractive you'll get hit on some. most of the vets i know still prefer their leisure time to be chasing tail and getting drunk. we try to be pretty respectful for the most part, but old habits die hard. especially when it comes to trying not to ******* curse.

if you're more worried about stories that you hear, you'll probably hear things that are worse than anything u'd immagine.

to be honest most vets dont really like the idea of therapy...its to beat-around-the-bush.

Answer 13

i assume it fairly relies upon on whose whistle is being blown. Snitching out the guy next-door because of the fact he stated Bush is a Terrorist, isn't comparable to snitching out your congressmen for taking payola. i'd wish that our militia / ex- militia isn't in the habit of recording “political comments” expressed with the help of “we the folk”.

Answer 14

First, thank you for serving as a volunteer and for thinking about working for the VA. I can add nothing to what has already been said. But I will tell you that after going thru many hospitalizatiion for my ptsd after awhile I became very disulusioned with the treatment doctors etc..But when they sent me to Art threphy, I met a toatly different type people. I went in thinking , right I can barley paint a house let alone a picture. There was an older man and lady whom ran the place and a young female helper learning the ropes. They treated me much differently then any of the "Doctors, nurses, etc". I made a pair of moccasians. Then I wanted to try painting. I had no idea what to paint. I talked to the young woman about it (Naturaly,smile) She told me to paint what ever I felt like, no one was going to judge it. Try maybe painting your feelings, what do you think? I said what the hell lets give it a try. She set me up with paper, paint and brushs. I sat there for three days looking at the blank sheet of paper, thinking. She would stop by and ask me how it was coming and I would tell her I was "thinking" about what to paint. All she said was "it will come to you don't sweat it. I kept thinking about why I was in the hospital in the first place and how no one but other vets understood my feelings. I started painting. I started with the color black. Every day I would paint a little more black. Stroke by stroke. After a few days the young lady asked me what I was painting. I told her I really had know idea really, it was just my feelings. Days went by and then the whole paper was nothing but black. The young woman got a little worried (I could see it in her eyes). She talked to the other older man and woman and they just told her to incourage me and to not push. I sat there for three more days looking at the blackness, thinking. Every day she would come by and look and ask how things were coming with a smile. The other man and woman talked to me too. I told tehm I was 'cool' jsut really thinking and to give me space and reasure the young woman I was doing ok and that she didn't have to worry about me. One day I picked up a brush and started painting on the blackness. What went down on that balckness came out of my mind. It came from the day I got hit and wounded. I really had know idea. I just came in ever day and painted a little more. Then one day it was done. What had happened to me a world away and twenty years ago that only took less then a few minutes to happen was there on paper. The two older Art techs came by and talked to me aliitle about it and what my feelings were about it. No pushing or prying just wanting to know. They had seen this happen with many other vets before, they 'knew'. The young woman came in and the other two told her I was done. She came over and looked at the done picture. It was a powerful thing in its rawness. She asked me what it was about. I asked her if it was ok if we went over into the courner away from the others and I would tell her what it was about. Part way thru tears started in her eyes and soon ran down her cheeks. Near the end she broke down. I laid the picture aside and took her in my arms telling her it was ok. THe other two helpers came over to see what was gong on and I told them, they understood. The older woman stayed with us and we talked, the three of us. I took some tissue and dried her tears and told her to blow her nose. She was only 20 years old. She told me that it was horrible what I had gone thru at the age of 19 and was still dealing with. We started talking. She wanted to know what I felt like but didn't know how to ask. I talked with the two art room leaders and told them what was happening. Turns out she started having nightmares. You see before all the scars she saw were just things. But now she knew what the feelings were about behind the scars and not just the ones you could see with your eyes. We talked it all thur with the help of one of the best social workers I have ever known(all the other vets love her becasue she fought for them)! In the end I told her how much it had helped me to get my feelings down on paper. They weren't just in my mind anymore. I told her how much she had helped me. I told her we had a saying, "It don't mean a thing". She understood, The nightmares stopped happening to her. I will never forget that young lady. The painting is on the wall next to me now. Looking at it brings me a small peace. At times when my mind gets going too dark I can look at the painting and release some of it into the picture. That make any sence? I didn't mean to write a book here it just came out. All the talking in the world could not do what painting that picture did for me. So you GO girl! The world is full of happyness and hurt, beauty and uglyness. We are here on earth to teach and learn lessons. Only took me thirty years to figure that out. (Smile) God has a thousand names. Belive me when I tell you he knows ALL of ours and who we are and what we are goin thru. This is Golf Papa Bravo signing off. God be with you honey.