Home care visits connecting older people with volunteers
South Australian Not For Profit AnglicareSA is connecting its Community Aged Care clients with volunteers in a program that is delivering meaningful companionship – and reducing social isolation and loneliness – on both sides.
Volunteer Dayane catches up one-on-one with Rose in her house for an hour every fortnight.
The pair spend their visits chatting or listening to classical music from Rose’s extensive vinyl record collection.
Dayane, who moved to Australia to study civil and structural engineering, said it had been hard to leave her family behind in Peru, but her time spent with Rose had helped a lot.
“It’s been kind of like therapy,” Dayane said.
“I can talk about things or ask for advice. I feel comfortable with her and enjoy her company.”
This feeling of comfort and trust with each other is mutual – Rose said she’s confided in Dayane about personal things in her life as well.
“We get along quite well and talk about many different things,” Rose said.
“As time goes on, I’ve talked about some things I wouldn’t normally.”
Rose said her motivation for joining the home visiting program was to meet people of different ages, backgrounds, and life experiences.
“I’m very much one for looking at a person as a whole and with respect,” Rose said.
“As a midwife, I met people from many different backgrounds and accepted and respected their beliefs and ways of thinking.”
Dayane said she also had benefited from volunteering and ‘hanging out with Rose’ as she put into it.
“To be able to talk to someone with so much life experience has given me so much clarity on certain things,” Dayane said.
“I think volunteering was the best decision I ever made.”
