week 2

Five Questions:

1.) How do you knit, and how much yarn does it take to make one scarf?
http://sheepandstitch.com/how-to-knit-a-scarf-for-beginners/

2.) What nursing homes are there in the cedar rapids area and how many residents occupy each?
3.) How does living in a nursing home effect the mental health of the elderly?
http://www.nursinghome.org/fam/fam_004.html
4.) Does receiving a gift improve peoples moods?
http://momblogsociety.com/pro-social-spending-exploring-psychological-phenomenon-giving-getting-gifts/
5.) Do visitors at nursing homes improve residents mental health?

Week 1 2/2

         For my twenty time project i proposed to my peers something that would not only teach me a new skill but also give back to the community in a small, but hopefully impactful, way. I proposed to teach myself how to knit so i can knit scarves and donate them to local nursing homes. I thought this was a good idea because elderly people often get cold and because studies have shown that being placed in a nursing home often has negative effects on the elders mental health making them feel depressed, and worthless. I thought by giving them a small gift I could possibly bring a little joy into their life by showing them that they are still appreciated in society.    
        My peers suggested that I deliver these scarves in person so that residents get a visitor and so it is more personable. I thought this was a great idea and am going to try and follow through with it if the nursing home allows.
         Next week I would like to contact a nursing home and make sure that this can happen, and I also would like to learn how to knit and get started on my first scarf. Another thing that will make this project even better is that I have a partner, Maddie Bagby, who is already great at knitting who can help me. This will make the scarf production even faster so that more can be made and donated.