Click photo to enlarge
Salvation Army Senior Services co-ordinator Jo Shaw enjoys
a cuppa while Megan Gaul (left) and Marg Girvan get in some
practise as volunteers for the service which will offer
friendship and support for older people living alone.
"Make a difference over a cuppa'' is the slogan behind a
service focusing on the needs of elderly people set to be
launched in Queenstown and Wanaka next week.Salvation Army
Senior Services will offer friendship and support for older
people living alone who may have become isolated from friends
and the wider community.
The district's co-ordinator Jo Shaw is putting together a
volunteer visitor team in the towns as part of the free
community-based service and is accepting client referrals
from social agencies and community health organisations.
The district will be just the fourth in the country to get
the service and it will be the first time the Salvation Army
has had a presence in Wanaka.
The organisation was hoping to expand its services in Wanaka
in the future, Ms Shaw said.
Offers of help from volunteers could cover a ‘‘multitude of
needs'' - from reading to an elderly person or taking them
grocery shopping to helping them write a letter or email,
repairing things around their home or just stopping by for a
chat.
‘‘If someone comes in and has a cuppa with you, it brightens
your day,'' Ms Shaw said.
As well as sending volunteer visitors, Senior Services will
link elderly people with social groups and church activities
and advocate for clients with government agencies.
Ms Shaw said because people were typically having to work
long hours to meet the financial demands of living in
Queenstown and Wanaka, elderly people sometimes missed out on
the company of others.
‘‘If people can find an hour, whether it be once a week or
once a month, it's going to make a difference.''
• For more information, phone Jo Shaw on 442-5103 or 027
776-3932.
Volunteers will be police-vetted.
