Jenny Best: Academic Advisor/Personal Tutor
Call Companion for the Alzheimer’s Society
Recently we caught up with Academic Advisor/Personal Tutor here at The College of Animal Welfare, Jenny Best, to hear all about the volunteer work she does for the Alzheimer’s society, we hope it inspires you to consider making a difference too.
What inspired you to start volunteering, and how did you choose the organisation you work with?
When I heard about this opportunity it was a no brainer for me as it is something that is very close to my heart and personal to me. My dad had Alzheimer’s Disease for 11 years and my mum had vascular dementia for 4.5 years. They were both suffering from these conditions at the same time, so I had two parents that both required very different care needs. I was the main point of contact and assisted with caring for them both at home.
Seeing someone you love to deteriorate over a period of years was absolutely heart breaking, soul destroying and has changed me forever. This is what inspired me to volunteer to help others by using my experience, knowledge and skills for a positive cause. To be a lifeline at the end of the phone, to have someone that just knows what they are going through and understands. The Alzheimer’s Society provided me with lots of resources and support so I wanted to give this back.
Can you tell us about the volunteering work you do and explain a bit about the organisation?
There are currently 900,000 people living with dementia in Britain today and millions more caring for loved ones. Being a carer can be very isolating, emotionally and physically draining. By volunteering as a call companion this helps to contribute to alleviating the isolation and building meaningful connections with both carers & those with dementia. My role involves providing a warm, friendly and supportive chat to either a carer or to the person with dementia directly. It is a regular half hour scheduled telephone call usually weekly at a pre-arranged time. It is space to chat about their week, the weather, how they are feeling, a favourite TV show or whatever direction the call goes in. Full training is provided for the role and regular check ins are provided with your call manager. Volunteer must be at least 18 years of age. If this is a role you would be interested in or would like more information, please contact the Alzheimer’s Society directly:
https://www.alzheimers.org.uk/get-support/companion-calls
What has been the most rewarding part of your volunteering experience so far?
Sharing experiences so the person at the end of the phone knows they are not alone and that some else understands and has been there. There are laughs along the way, funny stories and sharing someone else’s journey for a little while.
What skills have you developed through volunteering, and how have they helped you personally or professionally?
I thought I was already a pretty good listener, but this really makes you listen to peoples stories, worries and concerns about their loved ones. Learning how to be even more resilient as sometimes their stories bring up past memories for me. Developing a good sense of humour to laugh in times of hardship.
What advice would you give to someone who is thinking about volunteering but aren’t sure where to start?
Reach out to the Alzheimer’s Society and chat to them, they want the experience to be right for you too. They try you match you with someone that you have something in common with as a starting point for conversations. There are some case stories on the website too that you can watch and see if it might be for you.