National Volunteer Week is an important time to recognise and celebrate volunteers who give their time to support others and build stronger, more connected communities. AnglicareSA is proud to have a community of more than 200 volunteers whose commitment continues to shape lives in meaningful ways and enables us to offer a wide range of essential services to South Australians in need.

In our residential aged care homes, volunteers help create spaces where more than 500 residents feel valued, whether through a friendly conversation, a shared activity, or simply being present.

One of those volunteers is Maryanne. 

 

Maryanne’s story

For Maryanne, retirement did not have to mean stepping away from what she loved – it just meant finding a new way to do it.

“I started in aged care as a volunteer nearly 20 years ago, intending to do the aged care qualification,” Maryanne said.

“When I started working in aged care not long after, I found my niche in lifestyle and social activities, and was at Trott Park for the last four years of my career.”

Following her retirement, Maryanne said she missed the daily interactions that came from her role in aged care, which encouraged her to return to volunteering.

“I missed that connection with others, the work, and the people,” Maryanne said.

Now sharing her time once a week as a social activities volunteer, Maryanne’s days are varied.

“The social activities I help with can be different every week, from footy tipping to tennis challenges and walking around in the garden,” she said.

“I also do room visits where I can chat to residents or just listen, which can be something they really need.”

 

 

Maryanne said her favourite part of volunteering was the feeling of doing something good.

“It’s quite selfish, but the feeling I get from volunteering changes my mood,” she said.

“You can have a dreadful morning, but you come in to volunteer and your mood just changes to know you can make a difference in someone else’s life.

“I know that I have helped because I get a smile and a thank you and I really appreciate that.

“I feel very fortunate to have the opportunity to build a rapport with the residents and that they feel comfortable enough to recall and share with me their personal family life and achievements.

“It is an honour and often a humbling experience to spend time with them.”

Maryanne said she believed the only prerequisite someone needed to be a volunteer in residential aged care was to care about someone.

“To volunteer in aged care, all you need to be able to do is care about and care for somebody,” she said.

“We’ve all cared for children, siblings, parents, cousins, and next-door neighbours – everybody has cared for somebody and has the potential to volunteer.

“Consider the positive difference you could make and the reward you may feel from volunteering your time to benefit others.

“We are all time poor these days; however, even what seems like an insignificant amount of time to volunteer could provide support not only for residents but also staff.”

 

Want to volunteer like Maryanne?

Consider yourself a social butterfly or want to make a difference in the lives of older South Australians?

Join AnglicareSA as a social activities volunteer across five of our residential aged care homes, including Elizabeth East, Elizabeth Dutton Court, Grange, Trott Park, and Westbourne Park. Click here for more information.

 

Social activities not your thing? No problem – AnglicareSA has a range of volunteering opportunities available to suit any interest or skill set. Click here to learn more.