YOUR GIFT OF FRIENDSHIP

Living in residential aged care can be a lonely and isolating experience. A regular, friendly face brings smiles, happiness, and connection while promoting mental and emotional well-being for both residents and visitors.

POWER OF FRIENDSHIP

Volunteer visitors have the extraordinary opportunity to brighten the lives of aged care residents through companionship, friendship, and heartfelt conversations. Your visits create a world of warmth, comfort, and laughter, helping to alleviate the burden of isolation and disconnectedness that many seniors face.

BRIDGING GENERATIONS AND LEARNING NEW STORIES

People receiving aged care services come from diverse social and cultural backgrounds. Creating new friendships across generations helps us all feel valued and connected. You will learn and gain so much just by sharing your time.

• A genuine empathy and understanding of older people.

• Good communication and listening skills.

• The ability to work independently.

• A commitment to developing a strong ongoing relationship with an older person and to the ACVVS program.

• Willingness to act with integrity, respect, confidentiality, and dignity.

• The ability to be flexible.

• Bilingual language skills helpful but not essential.

BEST WAY TO BE A FRIEND

 It can be sharing stories about your day, reading a book out loud, sharing a hobby, interest or activity, enjoying a cup of tea or coffee and a chat, taking a walk or going on an outing, or simply watching a TV show together.

To ensure the best experience for both the visitor and the aged care resident, we require volunteers to be able to commit to:

• Weekly or fortnightly visits of 1 hour or more

• Following codes of conduct (Aged Care, Riverview Community Services, aged care homes)

• Twenty visits a year.

1. APPLICATION
When you are ready to start your ACVVS volunteer visitor journey, click on the Volunteer button below. Once we receive your application, we will make a time with you to meet and provide you with more details about the program.

2. TRAINING
While your application is being processed, we will send you a link to ACVVS training.

3. MATCHING AND MEETING:
Once you have completed your training, we will match you with your aged care home resident (recipient) and organise a time to introduce you to your new friend as well as familiarise you with their aged care home (orientation).

4. BEGIN YOUR JOURNEY
During your visits, engage in a conversation over a cup of tea, participate in activities, or simply lend a compassionate ear. Your presence alone will brighten the day of these individuals, fostering a lasting connection. Keep a record of your visits to share with us.

5. SUPPORTING YOUR JOURNEY
Our role is to support you. We do that by providing workshops and social events where our ACVVS volunteer community come together to share stories, knowledge, and tips for getting the most out of your visits.