Where to start.

Thriftkitten

Hi I would like to ask some advice please, I hope I have posted this in the correct place,
I am a single lady who works as an activities co-ordinater in a residential/nursing home for the elderly, for a few years now I have been very interested in voluteering to visit the elderly in their homes, to reduce isolation, chat over a cuppa and just generally provide a friendly face to someone who maybe dosen't have family near or family at all.
I have always worked with the elderly and so have plenty of experience, however, I'm sure there must be lots of elderly people in my surrounding area that would love a weekly visit from a friendly face if even only to make sure they are warm with a blanket and chat over a cuppa for an hour or so;
My 2 girls aged 9 and 12 really enjoy coming into the home to visit the residents and so I know they would cherish an hour listening to old stories from days gone by.
I do not want to give up my employment as I really love my job in the residential home 3 days per week, but I feel that I could give so much more to my local area.
How would I go about doing this? If anyone has any ideas or advice I would really welcome it.
Oh just to say that our local age concern closed last year too, so I know that there must be some lonely folk who just cannot get out.

downshifter

I'm not sure if this is what you have in mind but I visit housebound people as part of a service provided by the public library. It's mainly elderly of course, but could include younger people after an accident or hospitalisation, or even young mums stuck at home, though I've never visited any of the latter. I have had to be CRB checked which the library paid for, even though I already had a CRB done by that local authority already which is a waste of money but still!

Basically I select books/talking books etc for them from library stock, the library staff will do this for you if you don't know them well enough to know their tastes. Then I take the books etc to them, have a brew and a chat, collect stuff to be returned and then drop it off at the library next time I'm in town. Some of my 'customers' have proudly become very computer savvy so we select books together online sitting in their kitchen, ( I sometimes take my own laptop if they haven't got access) and I only have to collect for them, not choose. I get petrol money when I remember to claim, but rarely do as I combine a visit to the library with my own shopping etc.

I love it and have made new friends among my ladies (yes it is only ladies). Might be worth checking your local library! It used to be called Housebound reader service, but probably called something else now.

DS

Savvy_Sue

Age Concern turned into AgeUK, but I think that they or Help the Aged used to have an 'Adopt A Granny' scheme. Even though the local centre has closed it might be worth contacting them.

Gertie_Walker

What has this to do with moneysaving, fundraising or a specific charity?
Register on www.do-it.org.uk or at your local volunteer centre.

fantasia322

Gertie_Walker wrote: »

What has this to do with moneysaving, fundraising or a specific charity?
Register on www.do-it.org.uk or at your local volunteer centre.

Calm down, the person said she didnt know if had posted in the correct place.
It may very well have to do with volunteering for a charity.
You are not a board guide (they are a lot friendier).
Seems like the self-appointed MSE police are on patrol again.

Thriftkitten

Thankyou for the advice, I will go and look up AgeUK and doit.org etc,
RE The comment about "whats this got to do with"....., it's really a shame you have to be so brash, wouldn't it of been more helpful to point me in the correct direction, rather than try to make me feel stupid....MSE is such a fantastic FREE site where we can obtain and request FREE valuable information, but it would be a shame if people stopped posting for fear of people making unfair comments,
decorum is also free!!!!!

Edinburghlass_2

This was discussed on Jeremy Vine the other day, you can listen again here...

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00vmxhm

It would be around about 12.30 ish, a very interesting lady used to take her guinea pigs in to visit residents.

soolin

The charity i worked for until recently had a befriending service and were always desperate for volunteers. basically an older or disabled person was matched with a volunteer and the volunteer agreed to make a certain amount of visits and/or phone calls each month.

Sometimes elderly housebound people have little or no contact with anyone and having a weekly visit, even if it was only for an hour or so, was a lifeline for them.

I am sure other areas have similar schemes and the benefit of doing it as part of a scheme is that the volunteer themselves got support from the charity. So they could speak to someone if they had any concerns or worries.

JJ7

Hi Thriftkitten,

What a lovely post. If you only manage to visit one elderly person you will I'm sure make a vast difference to their lives. There are so many people out there who are isolated for one reason or another and I think you and your family sound lovely. Plus posts like this have a way of inspiring others so you never know there could be a few less lonely people out there thanks to you.

Good luck

Thriftkitten

Thankyou, so much for your kind words, I have learnt so much from working with the elderly, we regularly talk about wartime living and stories and I marvel as I see their faces light up when they remember days gone by, to be able to keep someone company whilst my children listen to these stories would also be a treat for us.

JJ7 wrote: »

Hi Thriftkitten,

What a lovely post. If you only manage to visit one elderly person you will I'm sure make a vast difference to their lives. There are so many people out there who are isolated for one reason or another and I think you and your family sound lovely. Plus posts like this have a way of inspiring others so you never know there could be a few less lonely people out there thanks to you.

Good luck

Gertie_Walker

I am sorry if you feel that pointing out the obvious was 'brash' - but another board has been taken up with endless discussion about what name to give a particular project in a local charity. There are other forums on the net for this type of chat.
And I think you will find that I gave you two places to look for vol work - on the net and in r/l.