By providing company and companionship, volunteers will be enhancing the patient experience and helping reduce any feelings of isolation and loneliness. Activities include: • Chatting and listening to patients. • Reading to patients. • Playing board games. • Reminiscence activities using discussion, books and other resources.

We at Sunnybrae are a Very Sheltered Housing complex, set up to enable people to live independently in a community setting with the added bonus of high-quality care and access to meals and activities provided at the Core building. We are looking for volunteers to support our friendly staff team with organising and leading activities for our residents. Activities could include organising or providing: * Live music or singing; * Arts and crafts sessions; * Physical exercise such as chair yoga, boccia, any active games; * Gardening and sprucing up our little cul-de-sac; * Pampering sessions, hair and nails and make-up; * Technology and learning, maybe you could show our residents a games console or VR set?; * Fundraising ideas for out comfort fund; … or just taking a resident for a wander and a blether. We will be delighted to have your ideas and for you to share your hobbies with us. These can be group activities or one-to-one activities with residents, tailored to both your interests and the resident’s. This role is very flexible and does not require fixed days – every hour spent with our residents enriches their lives and will be very much appreciated. What could a volunteer gain from the experience: Helping our residents lead a fulfilled life - reviving old skills or even learning new ones is a wonderful thing for them and the satisfaction you will gain from this can make an immense positive difference to your life as well. Maybe you are interested in a job in care in the future? This would be a great opportunity to gain an understanding of the sector and can support a future application. Maybe you could even learn an old skill from one of our residents!

Ward volunteers can choose to help with serving teas and coffees or to help during mealtimes. Having extra support during these busy ward routines is invaluable and extremely helpful to all on the ward. Tea Trolley • Moving the trolley from room to room. • Providing patients with a drink of their choice. • Chatting to patients and taking an interest in them. • Passing on any useful information to medical staff. Mealtimes • Prepare the patient area for mealtimes. • Help distribute meal trays to patients and return trays when meals are complete. • Cutting up food for vulnerable patients and assisting with patient feeding. • Provide general assistance as requested by staff.

Aberdeen Linking Lives is a befriending service generally aimed at the elderly who find themselves requiring some extra friendship and support. We match volunteers with older people who would like to see a friendly volunteer visitor on a regular basis for around one hour. Aberdeen Linking Lives relies on volunteers to deliver our service. Volunteers do not need any special skills as they receive full training, support and advice for their role. They also provide references and receive the necessary criminal record checks (PVG) prior to beginning visits (there is no cost for PVG checks for volunteers). If you would like to volunteer, please give us a call or email us for more information: E Mail: aberdeen@linkinglives.uk tel.: Shola, Aberdeen Linking Lives Coordinator on 07425622600. All help makes a difference to the lives of older people in Aberdeen and is greatly appreciated.