Volunteering the key to a more fulfilled life
“You make a living by what you get. You make a life by what you give.” – Winston Churchill
Volunteers are a vital part of HBH Senior Living’s philosophy of supporting our residents to live full, active and rewarding lives. And it’s a win-win situation for the volunteers themselves – not only is it a chance to ‘give back’ but it helps them keep busy and more fulfilled too.
Joyce Larsen, our talented pianist, is a regular volunteer at HBH Senior Living. She began playing the piano for our Rest Home residents when her husband was a Chaplain at HBH, and has continued to do so after he retired in 1987. She now plays the piano at the church services in the Hospital each week and helps move the residents to and from the service.
Joyce says she finds volunteering very rewarding and has no plans to stop helping others. “Everybody needs a goal in life, something to take you out of yourself. My friends and family say I’m always on the go but my days are much slower than they used to be.”
Joyce has volunteered throughout her life, often in administration roles and, more recently, helping older people, including a number of friends who’ve needed a hand as they’ve aged. When asked what she feels is most important as a volunteer, Joyce says, “I think you have to be good at anticipating. Helping someone is often not about doing it for them but anticipating when they need help – which is not always when they say they do. It’s also important to see beyond their age, disability or situation – and treat them as real person.“
Joyce says that HBH has a much more caring attitude than many other places she visits. “HBH is a very special place and I think being Christian-based has a lot to do with this, as well as being not-for-profit. It’s not just a business, but feels like more of a family with a lovely, home-like atmosphere.”
“I now have friends who are residents; they enjoy it here,” she says. “If you get to the point where you can no longer live at home, then HBH is the place to come to.”
