Making a Difference for Seniors in the Community

Catholic Healthcare is seeking volunteers to join its Community Visitors Scheme (CVS), a national program aimed to enrich the quality of life of seniors living at home and in residential aged care homes. Volunteers are matched with clients or residents, as a way to ease social isolation and provide friendship and support to senior Australians.

To encourage more volunteers, Catholic Healthcare has produced a new video which explains the Community Visitors Scheme, how you can make a difference in the lives of seniors and how to get involved.

The video features Sue Norman, Volunteer Manager at Catholic Healthcare, and Niv Srivastava, who coordinates volunteers and clients/residents in the Northern Sydney region.

Volunteer Brie-Elle and client Jane share their touching story of friendship.

Client Bonnie shares how her volunteer, Stephen, has helped turn her life around with technology support.

Volunteers are matched with residents by Catholic Healthcare’s CVS Coordinator, who also provides training and support for volunteers in understanding the needs of the client or resident.

Volunteers commit to visiting their Home Care client or resident for an hour at least once a fortnight. Visits are spent doing something both the volunteer and the resident/client enjoy – reading, listening to music, chatting, watching a favourite TV program, or going for a walk or an outing.

Catholic Healthcare is funded by the CVS program to provide volunteers to residential aged care homes in Northern Sydney, South East Sydney, Inner West, Western Sydney and Nepean; and to Home Care clients in Northern Sydney, South East Sydney and Inner West.

If you, or someone you know, is interested in becoming a volunteer with the Community Visitor Scheme please call 1800 225 474 or click here for more details.

Find out more about Catholic Healthcare.