From the kitchen to the activities room to the facility bus, volunteers are making a difference in aged care.

Social commentators would have you believe the volunteer is a dying breed. These days, Australians aren’t interested or simply don’t have the time.

Those same commentators might like to visit one of the many aged care facilities across Australia where volunteers are an intricate part of the social fabric.

In fact, statistics from 2007, the most recent available, show that over 330,000 people gave up their free time to volunteer in the health sector, providing more than 12 million hours of service.

Aged care is a particularly popular area for these good smaritans, traditionally in residential facilities but increasingly in community care.

Providers have been quick to realise the benefits a band of committed and enthusiastic helpers brings to both residents and staff.

UnitingCare Ageing, for example, is in the midst of a volunteer drive – promoting and marketing itself an attractive organisation to prospective volunteers.

“We’re currently developing new roles for our volunteers. Previously they were recruited and managed at the local level, but we’re centralising that,” explains Tracey Hocking, volunteer co-ordinator, western region, UnitingCare Ageing.

Hocking’s area covers six high care and 11 low care facilities, as well as community care.

The 200 volunteers she oversees work in a number of areas, from running craft classes to reading to residents.

“They help on outings and trips, during meals, or with lifting residents. Some drive our buses or work in the gardens. Others will come to facilities and put on a morning tea and make pancakes.

“Some of our facilities are dementia specific, or have high numbers of residents with mental health issues and volunteers will often do reminiscence work with them.”

In community care, helpers visit clients in their homes; they often escort them to the shops or a doctor’s appointment. That assistance helps keep the elderly person independent for longer.

Spending one-on-one time with residents, and building a bond and friendship, is profoundly positive.

“They make an incredible difference to the residents, and to the staff. Volunteers are the added value to our service,” says Hocking.

Ross Smith agrees. The CEO of RSL Care says his organisation couldn’t exist without its 400 good smaritans.

“Our residents and homecare clients really benefit from the companionship and assistance our volunteers provide and their services bring many shared laughs and true friendships,” he says.

RSL Care’s volunteers provide invaluable administrative and logistical assistance to staff. Their presence supports carers and takes a lot of pressure off, Smith says.

“They support people in their homes and in our residential communities by providing social support, assisting with activities, outings, shopping and transport to appointments. Many of our helpers share skills, knowledge or hobbies with residents and clients such as art, music, gardening or reading. We also have a number who assist in the maintenance of our retirement communities and gardens, or help in our laundries, kitchens and offices,” says Smith.

Volunteers may ease the workload, but using them also requires some work – in terms of assessment and support – on the part of the provider.

Hocking says the assessment process begins with an informal discussion in which she determines what role the prospective volunteer is seeking.

“We discuss their motivations, because it’s important the organisation meets their goals.”

The applicant fills in a registration form, provides two referees, submits to a police check and a face-to-face meeting with Hocking.

The applicant then participates in an orientation session, is provided with the relevant policies and procedures, introduced to staff and given a site induction.

RSL Care also has a thorough screening process for prospective volunteers, Smith says.

“They go through an application and interview process, including a police check. Orientation provides them with information about our services and values, as well as health and safety training and specific skills to do their role. They are also paired up with a more experienced volunteer or a staff member until they feel confident to continue their routine alone,” he says.

Both Hocking and Smith say their volunteers are given ongoing support and encouragement. RSL Care also has a reward and recognition program with a category for volunteers.

So just who is your typical aged care volunteer? And what are their motivations?

Hocking says more than half of her volunteers are aged over 60, but she hopes the organisation’s new drive will boost diversity.

“A lot of volunteers come to us because they have had someone – often a friend or family member - in an aged care facility. That goes some way to explaining the age profile we have.”

“We have a number of volunteers who have reached retirement age and are looking for a sense of purpose to fill their spare time or are seeking companionship,” says Smith.

“Some have lost a grandparent or parent and are looking for an older companion. Others like to share their skills and knowledge or learn new ones. We even have some students and younger volunteers who want to learn from the older generation, gain work experience or are considering a career in aged care,” he says.

Elsewhere, it seems building strong links with local organisations is an important way of bolstering volunteering and community engagement in aged care.

Hocking says UnitingCare Ageing plans to strengthen links with community groups and local schools, further diversifying their volunteer profile.

Similarly, Smith says many RSL Care communities have programs with local schools, training centres and community groups where their members visit residents or assist with resident activities.

However, getting volunteers into your organisation is just one part of the process. Keeping them is another.

“Volunteers should be treated almost the same as employees,” says Peter Cocks from Volunteering Australia.

“They should be afforded the same respect, given the same rights and assigned a clear job description. They need the same training and resources,” he says.

Cocks cautions against relying on volunteers to supplement staffing or workloads.

“You must ensure volunteers never take the place of paid employees. We would not look kindly on an organisation that replaces staff with volunteers. Similarly, it’s up to the organisation to ensure the volunteer has a meaningful experience.”

For providers hoping to attract volunteers, or for those planning to expand their current volunteer base, Cocks suggest using local media as a means of promotion. He also cites volunteer centres, located in most areas, as sources of information and advice for providers.

“There are a number of ways that we appeal to prospective volunteers,” says Smith. “The most effective is through maintaining links with community groups such as the RSL and local volunteering offices. We also look at the roles we have available for volunteers and appeal directly to people who may share a similar interest or hobby.

Twice a year, in conjunction with National Volunteer Week and Seniors Week, RSL runs a public relations campaign in local press and radio, in community-based newsletters and on websites to thank its current volunteers, publicly acknowledge their efforts and appeal to new volunteers. The organisation also often runs profiles of our outstanding volunteers in local press.

Issues for volunteers and organisations

Volunteering Australia recently released its annual survey for 2009, covering volunteers and organisations in a range of areas. More than one third of volunteers said they had no recognition for their work in the last month of their volunteering. ‘Knowing that my contribution would make a difference’ was most important in their decision to volunteer (80 per cent). Being accepted as a valuable team member, a personal thank you and feedback were the most rewarding methods of recognition, they said. One third of organisations were not been able to access adequate information about the protection of volunteers under occupational health and safety legislation. Some 44 per cent of volunteers reported that out-of-pocket expenses affected their ability or desire to volunteer, with fuel (84 per cent) and telephone charges (65 per cent) being the two most common cost problems.

Resources

Volunteering Australia has best practice information for organisations using volunteers. Its website also has information on national standards, tips and advice, ways to reward volunteers, and latest research. Go to volunteeringaustralia.org. Other websites include govolunteer.com.au and volunteermatch.com.au.

Volunteering changed my life

After his mother had a heart attack and entered an aged care facility, Craig Horder struggled to juggle work with caring for his father and maintaining the family home.

Despite an understanding employer, Craig eventually found himself unemployed and became a member of the “work for the dole” program.

When a volunteer position became available at the UnitingCare Ageing facility Craig’s mother was in, Horder knew it would enable him to fulfil his work for the dole requirements while his parents spent valuable time together.

Craig started out doing grounds maintenance but his experience in light steel fabrication was soon discovered, resulting in the design and creation of a bird aviary, and later more complex tasks.

When Craig’s mother passed away, he says it was volunteering that literally saved his life.

“I had begun to fall into a deep depression that I couldn’t shake, and was not coping well at all, but pottering around the nursing home and talking to staff and residents took my mind off what had happened.” 

Craig went on to become a team leader, and later the coordinator for the work for the dole program.

“I have no doubt in my mind that this is the job I was destined for and if I had not been a volunteer it would not have happened,” he says.