50 replies to this topic

[Melete]

I agee with KateAA. she has given great advise there.

i dont' have any volunteers where i am at. i am a solo player with 50 residents. (some) Families do come in to visit and do individual activities with their loved ones, i have made suggestions to them of manicures, cards, etc etc to give some interaction.

volunteers can be a wonderful asset or they can be a HUGE pain. In my experience i have only had opportunity to work with a handful that were in it for all the right reasons.

have you thought of your local community visitors scheme >??? i find they tend to work quite well. and also...keep in mind..sometimes relatives as volunteers can be more time consuming than helpful.

advertise on radio...?? most places have a community radio station with a free community notice board spot...and the local paper...ask them if you can place an advert for free.....

i think being clear and concise on what you want from them is important so they know if they will fit in with the needs of your residents....do you want them to visit and read only..?? do you want assistance with group activities such as calling bingo etc...???...will they get a free meal..?? (some expect it)....or is a cuppa and piece of cake..??? or is it nothing..as they are volunteering..???..of course we know however if people volunteer for the right reasons..the rewards for them are Huge..

good luck!..

[mguise]

I am a new AD and I'm having trouble finding vounteers I need some to help with daily activities. I have church groups but' I really need help Thaks 4 any help Mary

[lllucas]

Hi, Mary! :-)

Volunteers can really help make your job easier...but you have to grow them. Make sure you are taking care of the volunteers you have by awarding them certificates, praising them in newspapers and the facility newsletter, patting them on the back...treat them as though they were made of gold...they are! :pint:

When your religious groups are there, try to encourage some of them to volunteer for other needs that you have. Sometimes you get an older group of volunteers who are willing to come at different times during the day for coffee time, one-on-ones, help with decorating for the seasons, helping with parties and special dinners, and a wide variety of other things. Many of the younger people work during the day and find it very difficult to volunteer...but older folks who are retired are often looking for ways to fill their days. Also, their volunteering is a good way to sew seed for future census. That is, many of the 50+ crowd have parents who may need nursing home placement at some time. Some volunteers who are older than that may need placement for a spouse. By volunteering they will learn about the quality and caring of your facility. To me, a vibrant activity program is the best visible sign of quality care. ;-)

Also, try to establish a regular visit from the local elementary school. A reading to the resident type of program works well and counts as a one-on-one visitation. Sometimes a local college has an Activity Therapy program that requires its students to serve a practicum of so many hours. You can sign up to be a practicum director and they will send you students each semester. Family members make good volunteers as do their children. Also, the children of staff can volunteer. Do you have any children who wait in the facility for their mother to get off work? Grab them as volunteers. ;-)

Here's the secret of keeping volunteers: praise-praise-praise. It is important to establish a yearly time for volunteer recognition. Choose a day or evening other than National Nursing Home Week or National Volunteer Week (Why? Because the volunteers are probably swamped with other facilities wanting them to come to their party during that time). Instead, pick another time and you will have a successful showing up of your volunteers. At the volunteer recognition provide them with party food and drinks, set the tables with center pieces you can give away as prizes, give each of them an inexpensive gift, provide certificates of participation, award one volunteer as Volunteer of the Year, have someone to supply music during the party time (instrumental is best) so the volunteers can socialize with each other and the residents. Let the resident council be the sponsor of the event.

I hope this will help you out. :hammer:

Sincerely,

[ladysylv]

Hi, Are there any suggestions for Pet Therapy? We had a new volunteer bring in a little pooch. After 15 - 20 min. residents and staff were out of topics to discuss. The volunteer /Pet Therapy program is slated for 45min. Looking for some ideas to fill in the down time.

[lucylandy]

For fundraising the first priority would be the fund goal. There are many different ways for fundraisng. Fundraiser candies is also a successful way. M&M fundraising candy boxes, creative thoughts, labeling, packaging, selling techniques, even lollipops, candy pizzas and fun-filled events, can all work as potential settings for successfully selling candy for fundraising purposes and a wide array of causes.

[mariahcmb85]

Hey! A great way to get your volunteers involved and gain a better understanding of the facility and its members is to allow them to sit-in and be involved in the behind the scenes of the facility like... sitting-in on morning or end of the day staff meetings. This gives them a better background of some of the members/residents as well as more insight into what it takes to run the faicilty and plan activities. This will help to give your volunteers a better appreciation of their role to the facility and the facility as a whole. Good luck