One-hundred-year-old Nancy Mullarvey treasures the time she spends with a group of high school students who volunteer at her aged care home.
Key points:
- St Mary MacKillop College students are spending time at Logan Lodge in Swan Hill
- The teens are volunteering at the aged care home to learn about community participation
- The residents love the visits and the students say they too are benefiting
The students, from St Mary MacKillop College in Swan Hill, are visiting the home as part of their Personal Development Skills VCE vocational subject, which includes a unit of study on community participation.
The school approached Logan Lodge, a nursing home for 45 residents not far away, to enquire about volunteering.
The students then completed training, including in how to operate a wheelchair, and have since been visiting the residents twice a week to take them for a walk or to the shops nearby for coffee.
Ms Mullarvey, Logan Lodge’s oldest resident, said the teens were “the most wonderful thing that has happened for us” at the home.
She moved to the facility permanently in August, just as the students were starting to volunteer, and said the regular company of eager teenagers had eased the transition.
“My favourite part is just having them here because the thought behind their visits is beyond [words],” she said.
“What they are doing makes our life so much different.”
Building confidence
Year 11 student and volunteer Lucy McCann said she had enjoyed getting to know the residents better.
“It’s not the usual chat you would have with your friends because you get different perspectives from people you don’t usually meet,” she said.
“You can tell by their faces they don’t get to go out and socialise anymore.
“They appreciate people coming and spending time with them and it is really rewarding.”
Lucy is leaving St Mary MacKillop College at the end of the year to become a hairdresser at a local salon.
She said the decision was a big step, but one she felt prepared for thanks to her time at Logan Lodge.
“The visits have really helped me with my communication skills, taking initiative and problem solving,” she said.
“Before the volunteering, I was really quiet and wouldn’t know what to say but it has helped me build confidence.”
Old memories, life lessons
Year nine student Keenan Dreyer has also developed new skills from his time volunteering at Logan Lodge.
He joined the program to help some of the older students create an audiovisual presentation about Ms Mullarvey’s life journey.
“I learnt how to ask questions with more depth so I could get the information I needed to write the biography,” Keenan said.
He said the experience had left a lasting impression.
“One of my good memories, which I will remember for a long time, is how excited Nancy was,” Keenan said.
“It was almost like she was young again … and it was so great to see her happy.”
While the presentation taught Keenan about Ms Mullarvey and her life experiences, he said he had also gained a better understanding of himself and his capacity for empathy.
“I’ve actually had a realisation that I really do love taking care of other people,” he said.
“I have put effort into something I had no idea I’d be doing and I feel like I want to do it again.”
Moving forward
The students’ enthusiasm for volunteering has moved teacher Laura Crow, who has been impressed by their maturity and ability to reflect on their personal growth.
“Initially, they were hesitant because it was an unknown,” she said.
“For some it is quite raw and emotional being around the elderly as it brings back memories to them.
“However, the reward they gained from the experience is priceless.”
Although the students initially only planned to volunteer for a term, the arrangement continued into a second term, as neither the students nor residents wanted it to end.
Ms Crow said she was hopeful more visits would take place next year too.
“The school holidays are going to be a hindrance, but we will make it work because that connection and relationship is really important,” she said.
Nobody will be more pleased to see the students’ return than Ms Mullarvey, who celebrates turning 101 on Sunday.
“It means a lot to your life that people care so much,” she said.
“It makes it easier to carry on.”
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