Queensland Community Care Network calling for volunteers for aged care homes

Queensland Community Care Network are seeking volunteers to befriend socially isolated residents at Ningana Retirement Village and Karingal Aged Care.

About 40 per cent of people in aged care don’t have anyone to visit them. Photo: File.

Queensland Community Care Network are seeking caring volunteers to befriend socially isolated residents in care homes in Dalby.

Volunteers will be matched one-on-one with a resident who has been identified as socially isolated, or at risk of becoming so to enjoy a coffee, a chat, or a board game.

Studies have proven that loneliness can be just as detrimental to people’s health as smoking and over 40 per cent of people in aged care don’t have anyone to visit them at all.

QCCN executive officer Kieran Mawdsley said the visits go a long way to improve the mental health of the residents.

“We provide an Australian government program and the whole point of it is to find companionship for people in aged care homes who don’t have a lot of people to visit,” he said.

“A lot of the time it is referrals from the staff they may notice some residents aren't getting a lot of visitors and identify they might like a friend or some company.

“We’ve been told quite a few times from the staff that they notice a big difference from people getting visitors and it has a big impact on their mental health, especially in areas like Dalby where people are quite social and when they get in the homes it can be isolating.”

Mr Mawdsley said they were looking for as many volunteers as they can get.

“Currently we have just under 300 people we support in Brisbane, Roma, Sunshine Coast, Dalby and Gold Coast,” he said.

“There's two aged care homes we service in Dalby which are Ningana Retirement Village and Karingal Aged Care.

“There are generally not many people in the home who don’t need a volunteer.”

Mr Mawdsley said they were seeking volunteers 18 years and older with the ability to regularly visit the residents.

“The Department of Health and Ageing recommends residents get at least 20 visits a year so one every fortnight, we like to aim for that because it helps with making the friendship and supporting the person,” he said.

“We also ask people to sign on for minimum one year commitment because we want to build a meaningful friendship.

“If you can have a cup of coffee and chat with someone that’s who we want, if you have a bit of spare time to befriend someone it means a lot to them.”

Originally published as Queensland Community Care Network calling for volunteers for aged care homes