Insights

April celebrates National Volunteer Week. It has been proven that volunteering not only benefits those we are serving, but also has lasting benefits for our own wellness. Many organizations rely on volunteers to help them serve the surrounding community and TANDEM365, a new program focused on senior wellness, is no exception.

What is TANDEM365?

TANDEM365 is a collaborative venture of Clark, Holland Home, Life EMS, Porter Hills and Sunset. This partnership was developed to help seniors stay in their home with appropriate services. Studies have shown that when a person is surrounded by things which are familiar to them, they are less anxious and more receptive to care.

Once a person enrolls, they are with TANDEM365 until the end of their life unless the participant decides they no longer desire services.   Many just need a friendly visitor to help them focus on something other than their health challenges. Since they are homebound they oftentimes have gone days and weeks without social contact unless they have family in town. The whole concept is designed to attend to whatever life-giving service is necessary for the home-bound person to live a quality life, despite the health challenges.

Make a Difference

TANDEM365 requires, and is actively searching for, social volunteers to help participants stay in touch with the greater community. Volunteers do not need a health care background because all health services are provided by nurses and supportive agencies. The need is for a friendly, social contact. The person a volunteer befriends may have health needs but without appropriate social interaction the healing process is much slower. When we treat each individual as a person and not an illness or disease, the healing process accelerates. Why? Because the person is the center of the contact and not the illness or disease. Each volunteer feels enriched by making a difference in someone’s life.

If you would like to make a difference in someone’s life, consider volunteering for a few hours a month. Sign up today by calling 616-588-5294.

Please visit the TANDEM365 website for testimonials from participants and for more information on the program.