Volunteers are an essential part of the day-to-day workings of Heritage, and their generous contributions of time and talent make an incredible difference in the lives of residents and staff.
That’s why Heritage is putting an emphasis on our volunteer program, making it a point to recruit kindhearted individuals to help with activities, events and outings.
Benefits to Residents and Staff
“Our residents love getting to see new faces and meet new people because of all the stories and ideas volunteers bring along with them,” says Mike Sansom, Heritage Middleton life enrichment director. Volunteers also help make large-group activities possible while reducing the strain on staff, he says.
“The extra set of eyes and hands are invaluable for helping activities run smoothly and helping us make sure everyone is able to maximize their enjoyment.”
Benefits for Volunteers
Volunteers themselves also reap numerous benefits, from spending quality time with our wonderful residents to getting firsthand experience within the senior living industry that could potentially prepare them for a career in one of our communities.
“By increasing the number of people who are exposed and, subsequently intrigued, by our field, we create a long-term, cascading effect which causes more people to join the industry,” says Sansom.
Golden Hearts
These benefits have led to a renewed focus on Heritage’s volunteer program – especially at Heritage Middleton, where the Golden Hearts volunteer program has been pioneered to recruit individuals with “hearts of gold” to help out throughout the community.
From bingo and baking club to spending one-on-one time with residents, these golden-hearted volunteers can use their specific talents and interests to make a difference for our residents.
And the program has seen great success so far! “It has spiked interest in volunteering, particularly among our residents’ family members,” says Sansom. “We have a great group of spouses who are in our building every day an volunteering is a great way to derive even more fulfillment out of the time they spend here with their loved ones.”
