Meet three Melbourne volunteers in the west who may think they’re leading ordinary retirements but are making an extra-ordinary difference to the lives of older people. And at the same time adding a new level of joy to their own.
Graeme and Joy Thompson love spending their days ladling out hot shared meals and happinessas they help staff organise exercise and activities for older people at one of the many Uniting AgeWell social connections centres in Melbourne.
“I feel I’m really contributing and I get so much personal satisfaction from it,” says Joy.
“We are helping older people really enjoy themselves.”
Franca Goodwin spends one-on-one time with residents at one of Uniting AgeWell’s 12 aged care facilities in Victoria; chatting with residents, listening to stories of their lives and sharing her own.
“I know they look forward to my visits,” she says.
“This makes me feel valued and appreciated and so happy to be brightening up their days.”
And during National Volunteer Week, (May 15-21) it’s time to give a huge shout out to all those volunteers, like Franca, Graeme and Joy, for their endless work and tireless energy in enriching the lives of older people in our community.
The theme for this year is The Change Makers which celebrates the power to drive change and ensure volunteering is inclusive of all members of the Australian community.
Uniting AgeWell CEO Andrew Kinnersly says, “This theme rings true for us, where inclusion is a core value underpinning everything we do. With a long history of volunteer support, Uniting AgeWell’s services have grown and flourished; a vital contribution we recognise and appreciate each and every day“.
There are a wide range of volunteering opportunities available at Uniting AgeWell. You can visit the website at unitingagewell.org or call 13 93 75 to see how you too can enrich the lives of older people – and your own!
