Community Visitors Scheme
What is it?
The Community Visitors Scheme is an Australian government funded program established to promote links between people living in an aged care home and the wider community.
Lutheran Care is funded to recruit, train and support volunteers to visit residents in residential aged care facilities in the Adelaide Hills, Murray Bridge, Strathalbyn, Victor Harbor and Yankalilla, Barossa Valley, Balaklava and Mallala, and the Western and North Eastern suburbs of Adelaide.
CVS volunteer vacancies
Located in Adelaide Metro North, West and East, Adelaide Hills, Mallee Southern, Barossa, Balaklava and Clare.
We are seeking volunteers to be part of the Community Visitors Scheme. Volunteer community visitors visit an older person in an aged care facility in the metropolitan areas.
The visits are usually once a fortnight for companionship and friendship.
For more information contact:
Annie (08) 8562 2688
achambers@lccare.org.au
Who do community visitors visit?
Volunteers visit the elderly in aged care facilities.
Referrals are received for people who do not have family or friends visiting, have limited contact with family and friends, or are socially isolated in the facilities.
Residents may be frail or not be as mobile as they once were. Some residents may be confined to their bed. Others may have cognitive impairment or more limited communication skills.
All enjoy and look forward to the contact with a person interested in them.
How does it work?
A community visitor is matched with an older person and visits them regularly, usually once a fortnight, for up to an hour.
There are so many activities that will make your visit a rewarding experience. The time can be spent chatting or reading, discussing local news, reminiscing, playing cards, having a coffee, helping with craft activities or even picking footy tips. It’s up to you!
Who can be a community visitor?
Community Visitor volunteers must:
- Be aged over 18 years of age
- Have access to transport to meet with the older person
- Be able to meet for one hour every fortnight
- Be willing to undergo an application and orientation process, including obtaining a National Police Certificate and any additional training
- Be able to make a 12-month commitment to visit
What are the benefits for community visitors?
The benefits are:
- friendship with an older person
- the appreciation from the person visited
- the appreciation from the facility
- opportunity to give something back to the community
- opportunity to serve the local community
- the flexibility and ease of visiting arrangements
- closeness of the facility to the visitor
- knowing that one hour of contact means so much to the person and to the visitor
- opportunities to meet others who are also visiting
- getting feedback from other visitors.
How does the scheme support community visitors?
The scheme:
- provides support activities for visitors
- arranges the matching of a visitor and resident
- maintains contact with the facilities
- has a bimonthly newsletter
- reimburses visitor travel expenses
- provides volunteer insurance.
For further information, please contact:
Adelaide Metro
(08) 8331 3111
Adelaide Hills
(08) 7070 6784
Barossa Valley
(08) 8562 2688
