Home Hospice North Lanark (HHNL) is incredibly excited to have been chosen to become a Nav-CARE hub. (Please see the article about this exciting development on our website at https://hhnl.ca/2022/07/14/hhnlnewprogram.) It is an acknowledgement of the need in our community for more support for people dealing with declining illness. This program is ideal for those experiencing loneliness or social isolation, recent loss, and mobility or sensory challenges. It is also ideal for people who are having difficulty identifying and accessing resources and making decisions, or for those concerned about their caregiver’s fatigue.
A Day in the Life of a Visiting Volunteer
It’s your day to visit your first client. You’re excited about it, because you’ve completed your free training…you love to learn new things. Your Program Coordinator (PC) is great. She has matched you up with a lovely person and you know you can make a difference in their life.
You’ve been told that they love to play cards, and if they’re up to it, a walk around the block might be nice on this beautiful day. While you’re visiting, you’ll be observing and listening carefully for clues as to how you can best support this person.
When you arrive, you hear a friendly “come ahead in” in response to your knock on the door. They’re sitting in a chair ready for the day, but their shoelaces are untied. You quickly tie them, but make a note to talk to the PC and mention that Velcro shoes might be a good idea. After a walk, during which you enjoyed seeing everyone’s pretty flowerbeds, you come back to the house and notice the playing cards are sitting ready on the table. Pretty soon a lively game of double solitaire is underway. In the course of the game, they mention that they are supposed to call their family doctor back but haven’t yet because of the “…press one; press two…it’s so confusing.” You offer to dial for them while they put on the kettle to make some tea. In no time at all you’ve got the doctor on the line and while they complete the call, you pour the tea.
And just like that, the hour-long visit is over, and you say goodbye (it feels too soon) with a promise that you’ll be back next week. As you drive home you feel great! You know that you’ve made a tangible difference today for a lovely person, and will continue to do so.
Hmmm. Maybe you’ll ask for a second “match.” And you are definitely going to tell your friends they should sign up!
Does This Sound Like Something You Could Do?
As a Visiting Volunteer, you will experience personal satisfaction, knowing you are helping vulnerable people to live their lives with a higher level of quality and joy. You will also learn new skills…and likely make new friends!
We need you. We can only offer our programs if we have a sufficient number of trained Visiting Volunteers. They are the heart of our organization.
We have a particular need for Volunteers in Carleton Place, Pakenham and rural areas of North Lanark. We also welcome adult men and women of all ages.
If you are interested in applying to become a Visiting Volunteer, please complete the application form at https://tinyurl.com/hhnlvvapp
You can also contact our Program Coordinator, Emily Ballinger.
Email: emily@hhnl.ca • Phone: 613-406-7020 or 343-262-0902 • Fax: 613-691-6060
Come be part of the team!
