Celebrating National Volunteer Week
National Volunteer Week (16th-22nd June) celebrates the collective contribution of the 1.2 million volunteers who enrich Aotearoa New Zealand.
The theme for this year’s campaign is “Whiria te tangata – weaving the people together”. It explores how volunteering, mahi aroha and social action weave people and communities together.
Alzheimers NZ and local organisations from Whangarei to Invercargill could not exist without volunteers. Their kindness, compassion and willingness to offer their time and skills to support people with dementia in New Zealand is a lifeline for many.
To celebrate National Volunteer Week, two of the wonderful volunteers from Alzheimers Marlborough have shared their stories.
Sue
“I paused to buy a raffle ticket and got talking – and the rest was history.”
My husband and I had only just arrived in Blenheim to live after travelling for 5 years in a motor home.
As I was leaving the supermarket, I paused to buy an Alzheimers Marlborough raffle ticket and got talking with another volunteer – and the rest was history. I was invited to spend a day with her to learn about the duties.
Now, I volunteer with people with dementia at the centre at least twice a month. Sometimes I also take on an extra shift when there is a shortage of people. We try to make life as normal as possible, I love hearing stories of their past lives and we discuss things that are important to them. There is a lot of laughter and fun games like indoor hockey, bowls and quizzes.
Sometimes we go out for visits to the beach, or to one or two retirement homes for competitions and for walks. I help with afternoon teas – giving each person a drink and something tasty to eat before they go home.
I then assist on the van taking each person home – ensuring they are safely back to a familiar place in the care of their family. This can be quite hard work as some clients need help in and out of the van. But I’ve managed so far!
I really enjoy the company of the clients – they are usually happy to see me and generally remember my name. We have a laugh because it is Sue – and as per Johnny Cash I have a dog called Blue (supposedly!). They have a lot of interesting history to relate – it can be a bit fragmented of course, but really varied.
The staff are much to be admired, and very helpful and fun too. We all seem to get along very well so the whole atmosphere is light and friendly.
I talk about volunteering a lot. People’s comments tend to be, “I don’t know how you do it to” or “I couldn’t do that”, but I hasten to tell them that it is not difficult, rarely sad and there is a lot of help from staff.
Now, every 3 months my husband and I help with the raffles, part of the essential need for fundraising. This involves our getting out into the community and setting up the tables. We have a lot of success, some lovely people donating, even lovelier people selling tickets. And so it’s gone around in a circle for me!
Judy
“Volunteering is a new education for us all.”
My mother had dementia for many years and I felt that I understood a lot about it, so a friend encouraged me to volunteer for Alzheimers Marlborough.
I started by helping out with the van run, collecting people in the morning, always getting a smile and having fun with the passengers. I found it very satisfying being with them.
Some days are wonderful, but as we know people with dementia can have both good and bad days. But you always get a smile or a hug when you have finished your day.
Some love to dance and sing. We go for a walk if the weather is suitable, checking out the plants, trees, cats and dogs and have a chat.
Volunteering with Alzheimers Marlborough is a new education for us all in some ways. Most of us think we are grown up and know it all, but when we are in a roomful of people with dementia it is a whole new experience.
A lot of them love to tell you about their past life, school and growing up. If you listen carefully you learn a lot. I sat in the van one day and as we drove up and down the streets, a lovely lady was telling everyone who had lived in the different houses. I am a local and some of them were family homes and she didn’t get anyone’s place wrong. You meet lovely people and we all miss them when they are longer with us, but you never forget them.
To be a volunteer you must be easy going and enjoy life. It’s so important to see the humorous side of life and be able to make people smile and give them unconditional love and support. Life for people with dementia has ups and downs, and some people just don’t understand that.
I would always suggest joining for a day or two before you agree to a volunteer role, just to make sure you understand what is expected and don’t feel overwhelmed.
My best advice to you is to go for it and give it your all. The people you will end up working with are great and will be only too pleased to see you and help you.
Interested in volunteering?
Local organisations offer many support services to those living with dementia, and your voluntary time and skills could contribute in lots of different ways. Find out more about volunteering for your local organisation.