As portions of the world see less COVID infections and restrictions begin to be eased, we are seeing a call to action for volunteers to return to the world of senior care. For example, the Meals on Wheels program has put out alerts across the country asking for volunteers to deliver hot meals to seniors in need. Countless other organizations are doing the same, in their own respective way. Volunteerism has always played an important role when it comes to high quality senior care, and in our post-COVID world, it is likely to be even more important than ever before.
Everyone has something to offer. Even if you’ve never volunteered with a non-profit or anyone else before, you more than likely have something that you can contribute to the life of a senior citizen. Even if it’s just your friendship and companionship, we each have valuable skills and qualities that can make someone else’s life a little bit better.
Volunteering at a nursing home is not the only way that you can help contribute to the wellbeing of seniors in your area. Working with a local charity that helps get seniors to medical appointments, Reading or leading an art activity at a senior center, or helping a neighbor out can all count as acts of volunteerism. Just spending time with someone can, too. We all have skills and interests that can help us to connect with seniors.
Please keep in mind that a lot of companies and agencies are likely to ask for a background check before they allow you to begin volunteering. And that’s a good thing. Background checks ensure that only the right people are able to volunteer. Unfortunately, this is necessary because of the rare occurrences where volunteers have taken advantage of the trust that’s been given to them. It’s a small thing and it helps keep people a little safer.
Volunteers undoubtedly are a necessary component of effective senior care. And it doesn’t necessarily need to go through an organization like Meals on Wheels or even a local nursing home for volunteerism to have a positive impact on someone’s life. Even if it’s something small and unofficial, like helping a neighbor get their groceries once a week, you can have a huge impact on the quality of life that an older person experiences.
This goes beyond just helping them with a necessary task. When you volunteer to work with someone, you are donating a piece of your life to them and providing them with companionship, even if it is for just an hour or two at a time. And this can have a big impact on the quality of life that they experience.
If you’d like to learn more about how you can volunteer to work with seniors, we would love to help connect you with the right people. We can also help you to find the right care services for the people in your life that need a little more assistance. Feel free to give us a call if you would like to learn more. It can only help.
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