Volunteers from Lutheran Community Care Community Visitors Scheme in the Barossa Valley will join together to celebrate Christmas and the 20th anniversary of Community Visitors Scheme at Faith Lutheran School on December 13.

Special acknowledgement will be made to Barb Samuels for 20 years of service as a visitor for the scheme.

Other volunteer visitors also acknowledged will include: Carol McConnachy, 10 years; Peter Rudiger, 10 years; Penny Pfitzner, 5 years; Shirley Welke; 1 year and Michelle Peterson, 1 year.

The Community Visitors Scheme is an Australian funded program that allows volunteer visitors to promote links between people living in residential aged care facilities and the wider community.

By befriending an older person in a facility, visitors are able to make a difference by providing friendship and companionship. They can spend time sitting and chatting together, reading or reminiscing.

The quality of life of the resident is enhanced by regular visits from their special visitor, usually once a fortnight.

The development of the Community Visitors Scheme arose from a recommendation of the 1989 report entitled "Residents Rights in Nursing Homes and Hostels". The report identified that a key concern for nursing home and hostel residents was their feeling of isolation from the community, particularly for residents who had little or no contact with family and friends.

A pilot program was introduced in 1990/1991 in South Australia and Queensland, and it was then recommended that the scheme be implemented nationally. Lutheran Community Care has been continuously funded since 1 December 1991 to deliver the Community Visitors Scheme. 

Annie Chambers from Lutheran Community Care co-ordinates the program for the Barossa and surrounding areas. Enquiries from interested persons are always welcome and training and support is provided for volunteers. Those interested can contact Annie on 08 85622688 for further information.