The Better at Home Program of the Sunshine Coast invites locals to explore the possibility of bringing volunteering into their lives. One hour a week can make an enormous difference to someone who may be experiencing isolation or loneliness, especially as the weather changes and our seniors may find it harder to get out and around.
These services, largely social in nature, help long-standing community members remain living independently in their own homes longer.
Volunteer positions with Better at Home are extremely flexible as one can create shifts that work with their schedule.
Better at Home provides support to community members older than 65. The program is funded by the provincial government and managed by United Way. Pender Harbour Better at Home delivers services to residents from West Sechelt to Egmont, while the program managed by Sunshine Coast Community Services covers the area from Port Mellon to Sechelt.
Better at Home volunteers offer social interaction through home visits, help with small tasks, organization, and optionally drive participants to appointments or errands. Better at Home is seeking drivers to bring our elders to appointments or provide grocery delivery. We provide mileage compensation in most cases. We are also seeking volunteers to provide friendly social visits to isolated participants.
“Knowing that my food and meds will arrive, even if I am bed or couch ridden, has lifted a huge amount of stress from my life!” One participant shared.
Friendly visits offer one of our volunteers a chance to listen to stories and adventures and learn more about the history of our community. “It is very rewarding, serving Better at Home and our aging community has been enormously gratifying in seeing how much pleasure it brings the client.”
Volunteering creates opportunities to make new friends, network with other people and add value and purpose to the lives of ourselves and others. By volunteering you help create the type of community we live in.
If you are interested in becoming a volunteer with Better at Home contact:
• West Sechelt to Egmont: Pender Harbour Health Unit, program coordinator Haida Bolton, at 604-212-2232 or [email protected].
• Port Mellon to Sechelt: Sunshine Coast Community Services, volunteer coordination, Amber, at 604-865-0187 or [email protected].
