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Community Visitors Scheme -
Friendly Visiting (CVS)
The
Community Visitors Scheme- Friends for Older People is a Statewide
friendly visiting program for older people living in Commonwealth
funded aged care homes. The Commonwealth Department of Health &
Aged Care funds the program.
Community Visitors are volunteers
living in our community who have expressed a willingness to
volunteer their time to visit an elderly person. Volunteers speak
the relevant language of the older person they
visit.
A
community visitor is matched to an older person living in a nursing
home or hostel that may be experiencing loneliness and isolation
and would like their own 'special visitor'. The volunteer provides
companionship on a regular basis, which helps to minimise feelings
of loneliness and isolation for the older person. The visitor may
also act as a link to the community, encourage the independence of
the resident and, where possible, increase the resident's
involvement in social activities.
Under the scheme volunteers are
asked to make a commitment to visit the elderly individual at least
once every two weeks and participate in ongoing training and
support seminars. Volunteers also receive training and ongoing
support from the program coordinator.
The
New Hope Community Visitors Scheme deals with as many as 35
different language groups and cultural backgrounds. The program
supports well over 100 volunteer visitors who participate in the
program.
The
CVS is always looking for more volunteers and similarly would like
to come into contact with elderly residents who are in need of
support. If you would like more information about the Community
Visitors Scheme please contact:
For further
information please contact the CVS Program Coordinator on
(03) 8551 1200. email: cvs@newhope.asn.au | 