9 Uncommon Nursing Home Volunteer Positions I’d Like to See Filled
Most of the excellent nursing home volunteers I’ve encountered over the years have been involved with the recreation department, hosting or bringing residents to activities. Here are some other positions of great value to the residents, some of which I’ve witnessed and others I’d like to see. Please add your additions to the Comments section.
Nursing home residents really need someone to:
- Mend torn items and replace missing buttons
- Take them outside for some fresh air and sunshine
- Run errands (or maintain the Independence Cart)
- Organize their belongings and make their rooms homey (it’s hard to reach stuff from a wheelchair)
- Replace broken watch bands. worn-out watch batteries, and missing eyeglass screws
- Cut and style their hair (many residents have no funds to pay for the fee-based hairdresser)
- Facilitate visits between friends on different floors (when mobility is an issue, they might as well be in different countries)
- Help them write letters to friends and family
- Provide computer education and support (hopefully, all nursing homes will soon have computers for the residents)
For more on volunteering, see my earlier post, Why Every Nursing Home Should Have a Volunteer Coordinator (and what they do), and stay tuned for my upcoming post on Great Reasons to Volunteer in a Nursing Home.