Volunteer Orientation Guide

Transcription

1 Volunteer Orientation Guide What To Expect As A Sunrise Volunteer Welcome To Our Community Sunrise Philosophy Respecting Resident Privacy Your Contact: Copyright Sunrise Senior Living, Inc. Volunteer Opportunities General House Rules Your Volunteer Orientation Experience

2 Notes: Hello from Terry Klaassen Your Interest in being a Sunrise volunteer continues a tradition that has been a very important part of what Sunrise represents today. As a young person, I discovered the joy and fulfillment of sharing a smile, a laugh, and even a tear with an elderly person and found that I received far more than I ever gave. It was my volunteer experience that my husband, Paul and I, saw the huge unmet need for seniors to have a dignified, gracious lifestyle despite their frailties. For those of you that are new to Sunrise, enjoy your experience with our seniors. Be prepared to meet people that have made contributions that have changed lives, influenced their town, state / province, and country. For those of you that are familiar with Sunrise or have entrusted care of a loved one to Sunrise, one of the best ways to continue to be involved as a volunteer. Why? This will be of tremendous benefit to your loved one, others like her or him, and to you by continuing to be involved your life and theirs will be enriched. We want to express our deep gratitude for your decision to become a Sunrise Friend and sharing the most precious gift of all... Yourself. Page 2 Page 15

3 Notes: Welcome To Our Community We appreciate your interest in volunteering. During your initial visit, you will be introduced to our team, residents, and tour the community so that you will be familiar with whom and where you will be volunteering. We understand that it will take time to learn names and become accustomed to the people and community you have chosen to serve. Please ask questions, as someone is always happy to help you. This guide is designed to introduce your to Sunrise Senior Living and our philosophy so that your volunteer experience is meaningful and will be treasured for years to come. The Activity & Volunteer Coordinator (AVC), is your primary contact, however, we all are willing to help you help us serve our seniors with the dignity they so deserve. Thank your for volunteering to become a Sunrise Friend. Page 14 Page 3

4 Sunrise Philosophy Your Orientation Experience - cont d An integral part to fulfilling our mission, To Champion Quality of Life for All Seniors, lies in offering an activities program that nurtures the spirit engages the mind, and promotes the physical well being of each resident. As a volunteer, you have a valuable role in our success. We have daily activities as well as special events that while we encourage residents to participate in our planned events, we recognize they have the choice to or not to attend. If you invite or offer to assist a resident to participate and they decline, please remember that our philosophy is to at every opportunity, enable freedom of choice, while continuing to encourage the resident to come another time. Remember not to take a refusal personally. One-on-one visits, small group, or maybe just another type of activity might be the preference of that resident. As you become familiar with our residents preferences, we welcome your ideas and involvement in supporting those opportunities that will help us to continue celebrating the individuality of each resident. When you discuss your specific duties with the Activity & Volunteer Coordinator, (AVC) you all will be able to determine how best to match your interests and talents to become a part of making a difference in each resident s life. Page 4 Page 13

5 Your Orientation Experience - cont d Respecting Resident Privacy When reviewing your completed volunteer application, note the gift acceptance statement, confidentiality statement, and volunteer authorizations carefully. Discuss these terms of agreement with your AVC. Sunrise is committed to Preserving Dignity and protecting the privacy and safety of each resident. We expect all of our Sunrise volunteers to share that commitment. There may be opportunities in many areas of a Sunrise community. Sunrise serves residents in Independent Living (IL), Assisted Living (AL), or Skilled Nursing (SN). In Assisted Living there are residents receiving services for care as well as memory loss through our Terrace Club, Reminiscence Program, or Edna s Place. Page 12 Page 5

6 Volunteer Opportunities Your Orientation Experience - cont d Independent Living Independent Living residents at Sunrise may be interested in going to see the local entertainment or staying on site playing a game of cards, or having a good work out along with you. Residents in this area of the community often are able to enjoy as much independence as your neighbor, however have chosen to live a Sunrise lifestyle. Volunteers are always welcome. Assisted Living Terrace Club, Reminiscence Neighborhood, Edna s Place Some of the residents at Sunrise have begun to experience some type of memory loss due to Alzheimer s or another dementia related condition. If you understand or are willing to learn how to interact with residents living with some type of memory loss, please let your AVC know or indicate on your application that you have an interest. Sunrise has resources to share. As you complete your volunteer orientation, please view or read them thoroughly and ask questions freely. Skilled Nursing Some guests are at Sunrise for a short stay following hospitalization or sudden illness while others may find their care needs of higher acuity and will become residents, staying for an extended period of time. Sometimes the road to recovery can leave the guest or resident in need of encouragement if you are comfortable in this type of environment, consider volunteering in this part of our community. House Rules Each community will have specific house rules around parking, breaks, fire safety procedures, etc. Please remember as a part of our Page 6 Page 11

7 Your Orientation Experience - cont d House Rules - cont d team, volunteers are also to adhere to these guidelines out of respect to the residents while visiting their home. Remember the golden rule - treat others as you would like to be treated. General Community Procedures Always notify the AVC or the administrative team member on duty if there is a need to leave the building with a resident Always knock before entering resident s suites to visit or when inviting or assisting them to attend an activity or event. Always respect each resident s privacy Encourage independence as often as possible Stay out of the Servery areas unless instructed otherwise by the AVC Appropriate Dress & Personal Conduct Dress in a casual manner no bare midriffs or attire that might be offensive to the resident Enjoy snacks that are available after the residents have been served please be respectful of them Do not smoke in resident areas, while you may enjoy smoking with a friend, you are at Sunrise in the role of a volunteer friend Planning Your Scheduled Visit The AVC will review volunteer opportunities, orient, train, and help determine the times that you will visit. You are welcome to drop by at other times, however, when possible, please let us know in advance when you will be available to volunteer. Page 10 Page 7

8 House Rules - cont d Your Orientation Experience - cont d If you have something arise that will prevent you from making a scheduled visit, please inform us as soon as possible so that we are able to reschedule plan for the event to still occur. Recording Volunteer Hours Record your hours in the Volunteer Communication Book kept near the concierge desk. Please sign in and out at each visit. It is important for us to know who is in the building in the event of a fire drill or emergency. Just as a Sunrise team member wears their name badge remember to wear your volunteer name badge during each visit Annual Awards Luncheon Each community recognizes the special commitment that each volunteer makes to the resident at Sunrise. Because you are a Sunrise friend, we annually recognize our volunteers because we value and appreciate the benefit and service that you offer. Your Orientation Experience Regular volunteers require an orientation as outlined in the volunteer orientation checklist. Use this time with your AVC to ask questions and become familiar with the tasks you will perform as a volunteer. Each activity is different and will require special training that is dependant on what talents you have and hobbies you enjoy. There are many opportunities so take the time to review the next few pages prior to your visit if time permits so that you will be prepared to ask any questions that may come to mind when you meet. Page 8 Page 9