What It’s Like to Volunteer In a Care Home
Volunteer work is always welcome at a care home. During the pandemic, volunteers have been needed even more than usual due to a majority of care home staff being off with sickness or having to self-isolate. If you are thinking about starting your career in the healthcare industry, volunteering is a fantastic way to gain first-hand experience. There’s no better way of getting a feel for a care role than assisting alongside other carers to see if working within a care facility is the right option for you.
Volunteers can be of any age but are usually over the age of 16 and regardless of interests and background, everyone is welcome to apply as a volunteer. An individual could be studying, looking for work, currently working, or someone who is retired and wants to find a way of contributing to the community. Volunteers give their time where possible – this could be a few hours a week or once a month. You don’t need any special qualifications or previous experience, just a positive attitude and someone who is compassionate and respectful of others.
Volunteering is incredibly rewarding – especially within a care home. You play a significant role in contributing to the health and wellbeing of care home residents, working closely with older people, and building strong connections to enrich the lives of others. Getting to understand a resident’s background, likes, dislikes, wishes, and care needs are all important factors in providing the best service possible and making the biggest difference to someone’s quality of life.
It can help you to develop skills that will be beneficial for when you become employed. Skills gained from volunteering include improved confidence, communication, empathy, time management, and people skills to name a few which are transferable to other careers and will put you in good stead when starting a career in any sector.
Penrose Court is pleased to announce that we have recently had a compassionate volunteer work with us. Meet Sean. Sean has been volunteering at Penrose Court Care Home since last year, working alongside other members of staff, assisting with mealtimes, one-to-one activities, and group activities as well as socialising with residents. Sean says “I enjoy seeing all of the residents and working with some amazing staff.”
Sean joined us with the ambition of working for the ambulance service in the future and was looking for a way he could gain some useful experience. “I came to try it and loved it. It is very rewarding and a lot of fun.” Sean stated. It’s been a great joy and honour to have Sean as part of the Penrose Court family, and due to his outstanding hard work and dedication, we are delighted to say that we have taken him on as a Care Assistant and permanent member of the team.
If you are looking to gain some experience volunteering in a care home, care homes are always on the lookout for an extra helping hand, no matter how many hours you can offer, so do not hesitate to apply through your preferred care home choice either through an advertisement on their website or by getting in touch directly asking for volunteering opportunities. There are also many voluntary service providers who will find the work for you:
We hope this blog has helped you to understand more about what it takes to become a volunteer in a care home. If you have any questions about volunteering at Penrose Court Care Home or any of the care services and facilities we have to offer, please do not hesitate to get in touch with a member of our helpful team.
