An exploration of the UK unpaid carer's world


Volunteers                                                    Ross Dementia Meeting Centre - Home page here


With thanks to EnviroAbility 30 November at 09:30 here and Age Concern Ross-on-Wye which shared EnviroAbility's post on 1 December at 05:29 here.


The Ross Dementia Meeting Centre is run by trained volunteers and those without training who come 
forward receive it before they start.  Volunteers lead the DMC care process. They are a key part of the care provision.

The Ross DMC comprises trained volunteers who lead most of the activities.  Often, were anyone to drop in, they couldn't distinguish who's whom. This underlines the informality within the carefully established therapeutic processes.  The volunteers also marshal specialists to assist in the various therapeutic processes.  Sometimes, the specialist sessions are run formally and from the front.  

Perhaps a Community Psychiatric Nurse has arrived. Perhaps an Occupational Therapist has arrived. However, the specialist today is a musician, perhaps there's more than one in the group.  They have been invited due to their knowledge and skill in combining music with therapy.

This is said on the Carer page "Your team members are your fellow carers and the volunteers who make the Ross DMC happen for you." here  

This is said on the Caree page "Carees are part and parcel of the "care-outwards" to other carees and carers and are not solely receivers of "care-inwards". here

Further up on the Caree page it says "There is a care-triangle of the caree, the carer and the Ross DMC as a cohesive and groundbreaking model.  You now see that "Ross DMC" is shorthand for "The Ross DMC comprises trained volunteers who lead most of the activities." which is above on this page.

Looking again at the Team Work header graphic above, you know the team composition.  The participants and the volunteers form a seamless unit working to the common goal - reducing the participant dementia burden.


Here is a broad outline of how volunteers can enhance the participant experience at the Ross DMC.  

The participants are carers and carees including independent carees.

Referrals - recommending the person forward to the appropriate expert(s) and or organisation(s). 


The volunteer groups are
  1. On stage 
  2. Support
  3. Admin
  4. Premises


  

1  On stage 

  1. Leading activities

  2. Supporting activities

  3. Participant support - Qs & As, referrals 

  4. Meeting/greeting & departure

  5. Carer/caree log books

2   Support

  1. Participant support - Qs & As, referrals 

  2. Meeting/greeting & departure

  3. Carer/caree log books   

  4. Catering by those with the appropriate certification
  5. Beverages and minor jobs
  6. Tidying (cleaning is arranged by the host)
Volunteers who do not want a formal role or to receive training are welcome to help.

3   Admin

  1. Participant records

  2. Volunteer records

  3. Day by day records including finance

  4. Meeting Minutes
  5. Equipment - organising and record keeping. Some will be host equipment.

4    Premises
  1. Optimising the space and permitted-use of host equipment
  2. Premises comfort

  3. Back-up premises - finding

  4. Health & Safety 

  5. Signage

  6. Parking

Volunteers who do not want a formal role or to receive training are welcome 

to help with 2.2,  2.5,  2.6,  3.4,  3.5, 4.3, 4.6



If you have not read the relevant pages, they are:

  • A day in the life of Ross DMC  here.

  • Carer page here.

  • Caree page here  
  • Activities for carees and carers here
  •  Ross DMC FAQs here

  • Song and music here

  • Equipment  here

  • Reminiscence  here

  • First donation! here 
  •   
  • Carees paint pictures  here 






                                Carer-son on the right, 

                         friendly volunteer on the left.

                              All enjoying the therapy.
pagetop          Volunteers page  here                 

                             Home page here