Pastoral care program reaching out to prevent social isolation

As local populations expand and busy schedules take over, it’s easy to live our lives without really connecting with the community around us, and for many elderly members of the community in particular, social isolation has become the new norm.

Care provider BaptistCare is reconnecting the community through a Volunteer Pastoral Care Visitors Program, providing emotional and spiritual support to seniors currently receiving care and assistance to live in their own homes.

Through the volunteer program, participants who are active in their local church, can sit down and connect with the BaptistCare clients who live within their community. This sets up relationships where they converse on a continual basis.

Jenni Burnelek of Northwest Community Baptist Church was inspired to join the program in its pilot intake late last year and has enjoyed the opportunity to connect with people she wouldn’t usually come across.

“I really love that the program connects me to the local community, and people in it who I wouldn’t usually meet. There is a wealth of knowledge and experience there that I’d have missed otherwise,” Ms Burnelek says.

“I get a lot out of the visits. It’s interesting and thought provoking to listen to the lives they’ve lived and experiences they’ve had, and it puts things into perspective for me as I age.”

The program facilitates a free interactive pastoral care course that runs for two hours a week over eight weeks and includes practical work alongside established chaplains.

It helps to develop vital skills such as how to explore issues of loss and grief, and discussing how experiences shape our lives, and ageing changes our experiences.

“The course is great. It provides social skills to draw on, not only for the visits, but for everyday life, talking to family and friends. The practical component gives you the confidence to venture out on your own,” says Ms Burnelek.

Ross Wakeley, Program Coordinator, has seen the initiative gain momentum, with the program deploying 40 volunteers in Sydney’s Hills and Macquarie Park areas, and Wagga Wagga. The program will continue to roll out over the next 18 months where BaptistCare has the highest number of home care clients, including Liverpool, Penrith, Auburn, Narellan and Central Coast.

“The vision is to build appropriate relationships and give pastoral care to people through passionate local volunteers,” says Mr Wakely.

“Each volunteer is provided a list of around 15 people. They then give two hours of their time to visit two people each week. Once they’ve seen everyone, they start from the top. It’s driven by relationships – not tasks or agendas.”

For more information on how to get involved, visit baptistcare.org.au/vpcv.