For individuals in Newcastle and surrounding areas only
Would you like to support older people returning home after a stay in hospital and contribute toward tackling loneliness and social isolation? If so, this volunteer role could be for you!
Home from Hospital and Community Support provides support for patients over the age of 55 who have recently been admitted to the RVI or Freeman Hospital. Volunteers offer short-term support that is tailored to meet the needs of the patient.
Being a Community Responder Volunteer is a fully flexible role, offering the time and days that best suit them, and helping with activities that volunteers are comfortable with.
Find out more, and register your interest in this opportunity, below.
The aim of this programme is to enable patients to regain their independence and confidence, while recovering in their most comfortable environment, and to reduce re-admittance strains on the NHS. We want to get people back home and to be enabled to stay there.
Volunteers will be asked to assist if and when task requests come through from patients, the volunteering hours vary depending on need.
For more information:
Our Community Responder Volunteers support our patients with a range of activities, including:
- Help with transport home from hospital
- Essential shopping
- Collecting pensions/ prescriptions
- Wellbeing checks
- Signposting to events in the local community.
- Supporting people following, or before, a hospital stay
- Providing help ang guidance around specific tasks or areas of support needed
- Chatting to older people on the phone, or visiting them at home
- Feeding back relevant information to project staff around volunteering activities.
- Good people skills, able to build a positive and empowering relationship with an older person
- Good communication, organisational and timekeeping skills
- Confident and positive person, compassionate of others
- Patient, commitment, determination and resilience
- Able to travel within Newcastle.
As a volunteer, you will receive:
- Full induction and ongoing training opportunities
- All ongoing support provided by a dedicated staff member
- All travel expenses, and general costs
- The chance and opportunity to give back your local community
- A sense of satisfaction from supporting an older person after, or before, a hospital stay
- Opportunities to take part in volunteer social events and get-togethers.
