With a sharp wit, fierce intellect, and a mischievous glint, AnglicareSA Community Aged Care customer Rose is not as delicate as her name might suggest.

“I’ve been told I have a wicked sense of humour,” Rose said with a chuckle.

The promise of having a colourful and interesting discussion with Rose made Dayane so keen to visit.

“She’s such a bubbly person and we have a good laugh together,” Dayane said.

A home-visiting volunteer with AnglicareSA’s Community Aged Care services, Dayane catches up one-on-one with Rose in her house for an hour every fortnight.

These volunteers offer companionship to our older customers, forging
strong connections, and reducing social isolation and loneliness.

The pair spend their visits chatting or listening to classical music from Rose’s extensive vinyl record collection. Sometimes, it’s even a trip down memory lane, looking at Rose’s numerous certificates and awards from her career as a midwife.

Dayane, who moved to Australia to study civil and structural engineering, said it had been hard to leave her family behind in Peru, but her time spent with Rose had helped a lot.

“It’s been kind of like therapy,” Dayane said.

“I can talk about things or ask for advice.

“I feel comfortable with her and enjoy her company.”

This feeling of comfort and trust with each other is mutual – Rose said she’s confided in Dayane about personal things in her life as well.

 

“We get along quite well and talk about many different things,” Rose said.

“As time goes on, I’ve talked about some things I wouldn’t normally.”

Rose said her motivation for joining the home visiting program was to meet people of different ages, backgrounds, and life experiences.

“I’m very much one for looking at a person as a whole and with respect,” Rose said.

“As a midwife, I met people from many different backgrounds and accepted and respected their beliefs and ways of thinking.”

Dayane said she got just as much out of volunteering and
hanging out with Rose as she put into it.

“To be able to talk to someone with so much life experience has given me so much clarity on certain things,” Dayane said.

“I think volunteering was the best decision I ever made.”

Are you interested in volunteering in aged care?

With the number of Australians over 85 expected to double over the next decade, it’s no secret more aged care workers and volunteers are needed to keep up with the demand for care and support.

Volunteers are an integral part of our support services – their generosity and commitment enable us to deliver a broad range of services to the South Australian community.

We have a wide range of volunteer opportunities across our residential and community aged care services.

For information about our current volunteer opportunities, click here.