Health and social care is one of the largest volunteering sectors in the UK. This includes organisations like the NHS and charities which improve the wellbeing of people of all ages. So what do helpers actually get involved with? The opportunities are more diverse than we imagined as our bloggers reveal.

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Thursday Dec 10, 2009

Festive Frolics!

Yesterday was our last carers' meeting before Christmas, so we decided to throw a little party!  We decked the halls and put on some festive tunes and arranged a buffet of Christmas foods.  There was plenty of laughter and chatter, and the carers seemed to thoroughly enjoy themselves!  I mingled and socialised with lots of different carers including Anne, who I spent most of my time with last week.

There was a tinge of sadness to the event; there's something about Christmas and its orientation around families that heightens the pain of having a loved one with dementia.  A few people understandably became teary and it brought home to me the reality that my own grandfather won't be here this Christmas.  This was something that I worried about before I become a volunteer for the Alzheimer's Society, namely, that it would open up wounds for me what with my own grandfather having died of the illness.  And that did happen yesterday, which was a challenge.  But, on the plus side, it wasn't just sadness that I felt; I also felt empowered as a volunteer as I was really able to empathise with the carers.     

The lady who runs the support group presented me with a bunch of flowers in front of everyone to say thanks for my volunteering work and George*, one of our support group regulars, even gave me some bath products as a Christmas present.  They were both such kind gestures and George's gift in particular reinforced my sense of how truly grateful people can be when you give up your free time for their wellbeing.  For me, moments like that really spur you on as a volunteer.

I'll be honest; volunteering can be emotionally tough and I did go away from the party feeling quite upset.  I couldn't stop thinking about how, for our support group members, Christmas Day wouldn't be the completely joyous occasion that it is for many families.  I think we have to expect to be tested emotionally as volunteers, however, as many of the people we meet are in unfortunate situations; if this wasn't the case, they wouldn't need our help.  Furthermore,  knowing how hard Christmas would probably be for the carers made it even more rewarding to be able to help them enjoy at least some festive fun.  

Merry Christmas everyone and I hope you will join me on my volunteering journey in the new year! 

*Name changed to protect identity  

Posted by Sarah ( 5:24 PM )
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