DECEMBE R 2 0 1 7 VOLUNTEERS NEWS ACH | GREENLANE | ST ARSHIP VOLUNTEERS CENTRE FROM THE VOLUNTEER C OORDINATOR: INSIDE THIS ISSUE: FROM THE VC 1 VOLUNTEERS 2 - 4 C H R I S T M A S LUNCH One of my best moments in volunteer management is to see you all enjoy SARVAT’S POEM 4 yourselves at the End of Year celebration. This year’s was held at the O U T R E A C H 5 - 7 THERAPY PET VOLUNTEERS Rose Park Hotel in Parnell which most of you called the best ever. I would VOLUNTEERING 8 - 9 like to especially thank Sarvat for her wonderful Starship poem, Farhein T R E N D S A T VOLUNTEERING for her solo dance act, Trevor and Nik for their musical entertainment dur- AUCKLAND WHEELCHAIR 10 ing lunch. S E R V I C E VOLUNTEERS A T R M H Looking back at 2017, we have much to be grateful for: the initial Com- NEWS FROM TE 11 WHETU TAWERA panion Volunteers project ended on a high note with a new twelve month HOP ON RADIO 12- 13 LOLLIPOP! proposal that will see 50/60 Companions volunteer throughout Reable- WELCOME NEW 14 ment Services in the new year, the new Pet Programme for Starship Chil- RECRUITS L5 BLUE COAT 15 dren’s Hospital will be starting early new year as well, the Blue Coat team INFORMATION DESK leaders having their final say over a new scarf and tie for the Blue Coats THE NEXT ISSUE 16 as we speak, we’ve come to a finalised design for the level 5 Info Desk & DID YOU KNOW and there have been many more successes on individual and on team level throughout the year. Overall we’ve seen a huge growth in numbers of volunteers from about 140 to 200+. The motto for 2017 was ‘autonomy’ and I really do believe that all of you have stepped up in taking charge of Monthly Newsletters‘ your roles and responsibilities. input needs to come from all of us: Coordinator, all volunteers, charge I wish you all a smooth transition from 2017 into 2018, taking only the nurses, security people and all other key people most valuable memories that work alongside us. with you into the new year. Your input can be new ideas, shared experiences, Happy Reading! good ol’ memories, anything of mutual interest is welcome! VOLUNTEERS NEWS Page 2 CHRISTMAS AT ROSE PA RK HOTEL 2017 Our annual Volunteers Christmas Lunch at the Auckland Rose Park Hotel was attended by around 100 volunteers over two days, on the 28th and 29th of November. The volunteers en- joyed a delicious buffet lunch while appreciating the lovely view over the Parnell Rose Gar- dens. This year, two Wednesday Outreach Therapy Pets, Scruffy and Mandy joined us with their volunteers, Ann and Heather. Suzanne Corcoran, our new Director, Participation and Insight attended the lunch on both days using the opportunity to meet and chat with the volunteers. On the second day, we were joined by Dr Andrew Old, Chief of Strategy Participation and Improvement who gave a short speech thanking the volunteers for their service during 2017. Lindy, Suzanne and Julie also gave thanks to the volunteers in their brief speeches. Musical entertainment was provided by Nik, the ukulele player from Te Whetu Tawera on the first day while on the second day, Trevor Anderson (ACH & GCC Blue Coat) played Christmas songs on his keyboard. Farhein Akmal (ACH Blue Coat) entertained us on both days with a Bol- lywood dance. On the first day, Sarvat Fatima (SSH Info Desk) recited a Christmas poem that she wrote for Starship Hospital. Rohit Bhoge (ACH Blue Coat) recited the poem on Sarvat’s be- half on the second day. A big thank you to Lindy for organizing such a wonderful Christmas function as always. DECEMBE R 2 0 1 7 Page 3 Andrew Old giving his Trevor Anderson on his keyboard speech Suzanne Corcoran giving her speech on the second day VOLUNTEERS NEWS Page 4 CHRISTMAS AT ROSE PA RK HOTEL 2017 (CONT) Farhein Akmal performing a Bollywood dance O’Starship - full of life with brilliant hue Calm, serene and pure as morning due. Pink walls, soothing shades with ceilings high, long corridors, toy library and open sky Care for all, distress to none, Nik playing his ukulele highly diverse, standing as one. Smiling faces with comforting eyes, bringing relief from phantom cries. A chuckling baby, a toddler hopping, books and toys like Christmas shopping. The treasure of wisdom, you avail, the hospital grannies with fairy tales, You care to give and give with care, and care in abundance everywhere. Gloomy are days in death and grief, prayers for them, may they Rest in peace. Hope, love and solace who brings, you seem to be an angel without wings!! Sarvat Fatima Heather with Mandy and Ann with Scruffy DECEMBE R 2 0 1 7 Page 5 OUTREACH THERAPY PET VOLUNTEERS The Benefits of the Human-Animal Bond has the potential to help patients to experi- in Hospital Settings ence these benefits when they are most in need. Outreach Therapy Pets is a joint initiative run by the Auckland centre of the SPCA and St John Northern. The programme involves vol- Positive interactions with unteers and their therapy animals visits with animals can provide wide those in need. The programme’s goal is to range of physical and harness the benefits of the human-animal psychological benefits bond to alleviate stress, induce positive feel- ings and improve well-being. Outreach Thera- py Pet Volunteers regularly take their animals Therapy Animals can be utilised in a wide va- to a range of establishments including hospi- riety of ways. Animal Assisted Activities refer tals, mental health units, schools and rest to the interactions that volunteers and their homes. therapy animals have with patients. This gen- erally involves visiting, patting, cuddles, tricks. Animal Assisted Activities are led by Human-animal bond can the volunteer, whilst Animal Assisted Therapy alleviate stress, induce is led by staff who set goals for the patients positive feelings and and monitor their progress. An example of improve well-being this could involve attempting to improve the range of motion in a patients arm (following a stroke) by getting them to pat or brush an The human-animal bond is the connection, or Outreach Therapy dog. Animals are highly relationship, that is formed between people motivating for patients, staff have often and animals. It is mutually beneficial to both found that patients who lack motivation will humans and animals. Positive interactions happily oblige when an animal is involved. with animals can provide a wide range of physical and psychological benefits from low- Animals are highly ering blood pressure and relaxing muscles to improving mood and reducing stress. Utilis- motivating for patients ing therapy animals within a hospital setting VOLUNTEERS NEWS Page 6 OUTREACH THERAPY PET VOLUNTEERS (CONT) We asked Outreach Therapy Pets volunteers her visits with a patient prone to agitation who have visited Auckland Hospital, Starship and aggressive outbursts. Staff shared with and the Mental Health units to share some Ann that the patient would calm down imme- meaningful Animal Assisted Interventions diately in the presence of Scruffy and when they have witnessed. The paragraphs below gently stroking or interacting with Scruffy. Vis- outline some powerful experiences that pa- its with therapy animals are hugely beneficial tients have had as a result of therapy animal to agitated clients in terms of improving visits. mood, shifting focus and reducing aggressive outbursts. Utilized in physiotherapy sessions to motivate and reward patients Ann mentioned that Physiotherapists have utilised Scruffy in physiotherapy sessions to motivate and reward clients. She shared a Scruffy positive outcome experienced by a young pa- Animals can be very helpful in reducing tient who refused to walk following surgery. patient stress and agitation. An Outreach When the patient was told that Scruffy need- Therapy Pets volunteer, Ann, shared a ed a walk and asked whether she would like positive outcome she witnessed during to walk him, the patient happily obliged. The volunteer and Physiotherapist walked along- side her, a double lead was used for safety. Therapy animals can improve mood, shift focus and reduce aggressive Patients are more engaged outbursts in agitated in their treatment in the patients presence of a therapy dog DECEMBE R 2 0 1 7 Page 7 The family and the physiotherapist were self-esteem, self-acceptance and provide op- thrilled with the progress the patient made portunities for safe intimacy and physical and at how motivating Scruffy was in her touch. The volunteer shared that even those treatment. Staff often comment that clients who don’t normally like exercising or going have become more engaged in their treat- outside have been motivated to take Shadow ment as a result of a therapy dog being pre- for a walk. Further, patients experiencing low sent. mood often experience positive shifts in their mood when being visited by Shadow. Shadow Sasha, an Outreach Patients often experience Therapy positive shifts in their mood Pets volun- during Shadow’s visit teer, shared some posi- One Occupational Therapist, who utilises tive patient Shadow in a number of ways, even equipped outcomes a hearing impaired patient with a headset and she has wit- microphone so the patient could better hear nessed dur- and interact with Shadow. The combination of ing her visits the headphones, microphone and the visits to mental were found to be very beneficial to the patient health wards with her dog Shadow. Sasha who experienced significant feelings of isola- has observed that the visits help to improve tion.