YMCA Sydney

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Community Strengthening

Stories from the Community

Community Companionship

Saturday, 28th May 2011

Community Companionship

Australia’s population is ageing dramatically; of the 6.3% of Australians living with a profound activity limitation, 50% of them are over the age of 65.

Alan Smith is only 65 years old, yet he is already a veteran at his Aged Care facility. As a Parkinson’s disease sufferer, he has the difficult combination of a disabled, inactive body yet an incredibly sharp and active mind.

It is difficult to nurture a sharp mind in a nursing home, however for the last 4 years Allan has found hope, friendship and meaningful conversation through a partnership with a YMCA CVS volunteer.

The YMCA Community Visitors Scheme (CVS) matches willing community volunteers with Nursing home patients in Sydney.  By matching volunteers and patients carefully, through considering interests, past experiences and compatibility, the patients find themselves with a caring visitor each week or fortnight.  The Scheme is particularly focused on placing volunteers with patients who have limited family contact.

“I don’t really have anyone else who is able to chat with me for any period of time....I can’t imagine what it would be like to not have Renee visiting me,’said Allan Smith of his YMCA CVS Volunteer Renee Fraser.

 ‘She stirs up my mind,she brightens my week, she makes my day.’

Renee and Allan have forged a friendship based on philosophy discussions, their combined travel experiences and healthy debates on current affairs.

“He keeps me active, he keeps me thinking. Overall I get far more out of the visits than Allan does...I just look forward to it every week,” said Volunteer Renee.

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