The Value of Hospital Volunteerism
We tend to think of a hospital as a place to get help. But a hospital or other medical setting also provides an opportunity to assist others, even if you’re not a healthcare professional.
There are lots of places in a healthcare setting where volunteers can make a difference: People who recovered from an illness or injury may feel like giving back to the hospital that helped them; you may not live near your aging parents (or they may not be alive), but you can be there for someone else’s aging parents; your own experience with a particular disease might make you well-suited to help others with the same ailment.
Hospital volunteer programs nationwide offer many opportunities to give back in meaningful ways. “For the writer with a love of history,” says Carey McCarthy, director of Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center volunteer services, “there might be a living history program at your local hospital. For example, at UCLA Health hospitals we have volunteer writers who visit patients who wish to share their story. One-page bios are drafted and laminated along with graphics that blend in with their story. This allows the medical team and caregivers to get to know their patients better.”
Bring Your Talents and Your Pets
Volunteers play musical instruments, help with art projects, and spend time with patients in their rooms, all in an effort to bring more joy. Even dogs can get into the act. Many hospitals and nursing homes welcome four-legged furry friends. Search online at your local healthcare centers or call them directly and ask for the volunteer coordinator.
Caring for Elderly Patients
The UCLA Geriatrics division has a Companion Care Program, where volunteers visit with hospitalized elderly patients in their rooms. According to Valerie Yeo, RN, director of the hospital’s inpatient Geriatrics Unit, volunteers are important because many elderly patients feel very isolated. Some don’t have family in the area, while others’ family members are unable to spend much time at the hospital because of work or other commitments. “Hospitalization is never fun, but for patients who don’t have visitors, it can be very lonely,” says Yeo. Volunteers may simply sit and watch TV, read to patients, and they may also assist with more hands-on activities, such as feeding or accompanying patients on walks, under a nurse’s supervision.
Volunteers must acquire CPR certification, receive specialized training in the needs and care of the geriatric population and attend a two-hour orientation program. Even with their training and skills, volunteers are not assigned to high-risk patients.
A Health Boost for You
Older adults who stay active by volunteering are getting more out of it than just an altruistic feeling—they are receiving a health boost too, report researchers from the Rotman Research Institute at Baycrest Health Sciences. Volunteering is associated with reductions in symptoms of depression, better overall health, fewer functional limitations, and greater longevity. The study, published in Psychological Bulletin, reviewed 73 studies involving adult volunteers age 50-plus. The key findings include:
Health benefits may depend on a moderate level of volunteering. There appears to be a tipping point after which greater benefits no longer accrue. The “sweet spot” appears to be at about 100 annual hours, or a few hours per week.
More vulnerable seniors (e.g., those with chronic health conditions) may benefit the most from volunteering.
Feeling appreciated or needed as a volunteer appears to amplify the relationship between volunteering and psychosocial well-being.
End-of-Life Care
Hospice relies heavily on volunteers to help out in hospitals, nursing homes, and private residences. Support for patients can include simply visiting, writing letters, and offering complementary therapies such as aroma therapy or therapeutic touch. Volunteers can also bring families a welcome break by running errands, picking up children at school, or caring for the family’s pet. Hospice training can be extensive, requiring several hours of classroom and/or online education. Learn more about what’s involved at the Hospice Foundation of America website or by contacting your local hospice organization.
Hospital volunteers in UCLA’s No One Dies Alone program are dedicated to giving comfort and keeping vigil with patients who have no one else to stay with them during their last days. So even patients in the most dire circumstances can take comfort in knowing that they will not have to die alone.
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