It’s due in part to the work of volunteers on the Coast that seniors are able to stay in their homes longer and those volunteers were thanked during an appreciation tea on April 10.
“I just really want to highlight how important the work that you do is in supporting the clinicians, the home support staff etc. in the work that they do,” said Karen Inkpen, manager of Home Care Services on the Sunshine Coast.
Volunteers from the meals on wheels program, the volunteer driving program, the grocery shopping program, the telephone tree, the friendly visitors and the seniors outreach program were at the appreciation tea.
Inkpen said the meals on wheels program has been running on the Coast since 1979 and that it currently sees 14 volunteers deliver balanced and nutritious meals made at St. Mary’s Hospital to seniors in their homes.
“This program supports participants in their desire to remain in their homes and out of hospital and care facilities,” Inkpen said.
Volunteer drivers provide rides for seniors to medical appointments on and off Coast.
A total of 40 volunteer drivers provided more than 520 rides to clients in 2013.
“If this program was not available, many seniors on the Sunshine Coast would not be able to see eye doctors, heart specialists, have specialty testing, surgery and chemotherapy to name a few,” Inkpen said.
The volunteer grocery shoppers take orders called in from clients and then fill them at either IGA in Gibsons, IGA in Wilson Creek or Claytons in Sechelt. The volunteer shoppers then deliver the groceries to clients.
“Each week 25 different volunteers shop for over 50 clients per store,” Inkpen noted.
The telephone tree sees volunteers call signed-up seniors every morning between 8 and 9 a.m. to check in and make sure they’re OK.
The friendly visitors then go see seniors in their homes to offer some companionship.
And the seniors outreach program has dedicated volunteers to assist low income seniors with filling out forms and filing taxes.
Inkpen noted at this time of year the outreach program is “very busy.”
Volunteers were thanked for their efforts on April 10 with balloons, flowers, tea, coffee, cake and some delicious food donated by Wilson Creek and Gibsons IGA, Claytons Heritage Market and Lucky’s Smoke House.
The celebration at the Seaside Centre in Sechelt was held during National Volunteer Week, which ran from April 6-12.
