By having a volunteer … you have someone who is committed to you, cares about you, has the time to listen to you, and is able to understand what you’re going through.” – Nav-CARE participant
Has your life, or the life of someone you know, become difficult due to declining health?
Home Hospice North Lanark (HHNL) is proud to announce a new, expanded in-home service for our community members, called “Nav-CARE.” We are one of only five organizations across Canada chosen to become a Nav-CARE hub this year!
What is Nav-CARE?
Nav-CARE is a free program. As a compassionate community program, Nav-CARE’s specially trained Visiting Volunteers will regularly visit people living at home whose declining health is affecting their ability to live well on a day-to-day basis. Under the supervision of our Program Coordinators, Visiting Volunteers will develop relationships with clients and assist with things such as making phone calls or online appointments, and help figure out what support they need to live their lives in the best way possible. Most importantly, Volunteers will have time to listen, play cards, watch a movie or go for a walk. Our Program Coordinators can also assist with identifying agencies that can help with the practical support people need to meet evolving needs. The goal is to improve their quality of life.
Who will this program help?
This program is ideal for those experiencing loneliness or social isolation, recent loss, and mobility or sensory challenges. It is also ideal for people who are having difficulty identifying and accessing resources and making decisions, or for those concerned about their caregiver doing too much. It is a perfect fit to what we already do, but it expands our ability to help. It is designed to assist people at an earlier time in their journey; there is no need to have a terminal diagnosis. Once an individual is registered with us, we will be able to support them as needs change. If and when it is appropriate, we will migrate their care from Nav-CARE to HHNL, without any upheaval for the client.
How is the program funded?
HHNL is proud to be chosen to offer this Health Canada/University of British Columbia sponsored program in North Lanark. Our existing programs continue as always. While HHNL’s services are 100% funded through donations and fundraising efforts, Nav-CARE will provide Federal Government funding for this new program, including 50% of our full-time Program Coordinator’s salary.
When will this program be available to people in North Lanark?
We will be starting with a few pilot projects, until we have recruited and trained a sufficient number of Visiting Volunteers. Once the program is fully up and running, we will inform the public through local and social media. The more people who apply to become a Visiting Volunteer, and get their training done, the sooner we will be able to fully launch the program.
Please watch local media, our website and social media for details on how to apply for a position as a Visiting Volunteer.
“To the world you may be one person; but to one person you may be the world.”
— Dr. Seuss
Would you like to contribute to the success of this program locally?
As with any government program, there are many goals we must meet. We must increase our number of Visiting Volunteers. Please visit Our Visiting Volunteer Page to learn more and to apply to become a Visiting Volunteer.
A Day in the Life of a Visiting Volunteer
It’s your day to visit your first client. You’re excited about it, because you’ve completed your free training…you love to learn new things. Your Program Coordinator (PC) is great. She has matched you up with a lovely person and you know you can make a difference in their life.
You’ve been told that they love to play cards, and if they’re up to it, a walk around the block might be nice on this beautiful day. While you’re visiting, you’ll be observing and listening carefully for clues as to how you can best support this person.
When you arrive, you hear a friendly “come ahead in” in response to your knock on the door. They’re sitting in a chair ready for the day, but their shoelaces are untied. You quickly tie them, but make a note to talk to the PC and mention that Velcro shoes might be a good idea. After a walk, during which you enjoyed seeing everyone’s pretty flowerbeds, you come back to the house and notice the playing cards are sitting ready on the table. Pretty soon a lively game of double solitaire is underway. In the course of the game, they mention that they are supposed to call their family doctor back but haven’t yet because of the “…press one; press two…it’s so confusing.” You offer to dial for them while they put on the kettle to make some tea. In no time at all you’ve got the doctor on the line and while they complete the call, you pour the tea.
And just like that, the hour-long visit is over, and you say goodbye (it feels too soon) with a promise that you’ll be back next week. As you drive home you feel great! You know that you’ve made a tangible difference today for a lovely person, and will continue to do so.
Hmmm. Maybe you’ll ask for a second “match.” And you are definitely going to tell your friends they should sign up!
Does This Sound Like Something You Could Do?
As a Visiting Volunteer, you will experience personal satisfaction, knowing you are helping vulnerable people to live their lives with a higher level of quality and joy. You will also learn new skills…and likely make new friends!
We need you. We can only offer our programs if we have a sufficient number of trained Visiting Volunteers. They are the heart of our organization.
We have a particular need for Volunteers in Carleton Place, Pakenham and rural areas of North Lanark. We welcome adult men and women of all ages.
If you are interested in applying to become a Visiting Volunteer, please complete the Visiting Volunteer Application or contact our Program Coordinator at info@hhnl.ca or 613-406-7020
Come be part of the team!
You can learn more about the program on a national level here: https://nav-care.ca/
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