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WHITBY FREE PRESS, WEDNESDAY, MAY 23. 1979. PACT 3 Thnere 's a speciai relationship f or these'hospital volunteers The importance of a one- to-one relationsbip is proving its worth in a program which has been operating at the Whitby Psychiatrie Hospital for the past two years. A one-to-one volunteer program to assist patients (or clients as the hospital prefers to eall them) who are about to leave the hospital has proven to be a real benefit in helping these people cope with the outside world again. The one-to-one program currently consists of six vol- unteers who are active on five wards. These volunteers are pre- sently seeing about six clients and spend an average of one to two. afternoons or evenings per week with thege clients. Growing demands and shortages of volunteers have resulted in some volun- teers working with more than one patient, stili on an individual basis. Applicants for this pro- gram are first screened by Alayne Metrick, the hospi- tal's Volunteer Co-ordinator. Following thîs, they are given a tour of the hospital and undergo an orientation, consisting Of approximately four workshops. The one-to-one volunteer then sta rts on the wards by working with an experienced volunteer for one month. 1This probationary period serves a dual purpose for it acquaints the new volunteer with the staff, patients and routine of the hospital, and allows the staff, the one-to- one group and the new volun- teer herseif to see if she or he is suited to the program. Although the reliability of volunteers is important in al programs, it is essenti al in the one-to-one, due to the personal nature of the work. An effective one-to-one relationship cannot form un- less trust can be established. Joining this programn demands a high degree of dedication from the volun- teer as no replacement can be sent to fil in at the last moment. The absolute neces- sity of confidentiality has been stressed to each volun- teer, and each bas signed a statement to this effect. The one-to-one program, as its name implies, consists of one volunteer being as- signed by staff to one patient in order to establish an inter- personal relationshin." The volunteer's moie varies with the differing needs of each patient and is based on the specific instructions of Becase 0 thi theDm0 0F CANADA OWE PRATED+ SuS hmîco yo uc cm lm* ROYAL $159?5 PREMIER $1899?5 SUPREE 249?5 AIL PAINT WORK GUARANTEED a unique position on the wards as a link between the hospital and the community. She does not provide counsel- ling services, nor is it her duty to perform any staff role. Each volunteer is given a specific goal with a patient, and the volunteer has a choice of wbo to work with, in consultation witb the staff. The following are a few examples of specific tasks accomplished by one-to-one volunteers: One volunteer.womked at tutoring a patient who was to he discharged from the hos- pital to seek employMent. This patient had been in-the hospital for four years. The work consisted of reading and familiarizing hlm with employment application t orms. Another volunteer belped an 18-yearm-old girl befome ber discharge from the hospital to look for a place to live and o!)uortunities in the mmunity. The girl necded upgrading in scbooling for she had been in bosoital for more than a ycar. he volunteer assisted her through the transition program prior to discharge, and she is presently' at a community college and doing very well. The volunteer and her client have kept in touch for a year since the girl was discharged. Another assignment for a \'olunteer was to work with a 2*3-year-old man.,*who had hcen in hospital for four mnonths and was very 'shy and wary of his suround- i gs. Tlhe volunteer took the ,:îItient into town for the first time but he'was frightened when he went into a store, ;, nd wanted to leave. In three nontbs he was able to go shopping and was dis- charged to live with a member, 0f his family, tbanks to the work of the volunteer. "lie knew he could not voue in the community when lie'ecame in, but he could cope .vhen hie left," said the volun- ieer. "L1.ack 0f confidence -.ýas his problem. I noticed a chiange in h im when he left."~ .(One volunteer is blind and works with two young blind îatients in a special situa- i on. teaching them Braille nzid how to adapt to .uindniess. The volunteer teaches them how to function in the community, and has -worked with one girl for five years. teaching him reading, writing and remembering, using programs obtained fmom a special scbool for these people. Another case involves a 23-year-old man who was very introverted and had no confidence. He went into town with a volunteer and after five months he was discharged to a group home. He had been in the Whitby hosoital for a year. The volunteersý report tha t many patients tbey work with have low self esteemn and need to *have their confi- dence built un. Some have no visitors or contacts in the community. The volunteers have var- ious reasons for joining the. one-to-one program.« One is a mother who bad time on ber hands after ber childmen entered high'scbool. She had been involved in hosoital auxiliary work, the 1IDE and was an educatio- nal volunteer. "'Mis seemed to be the nost rewarding time I've ever suent. I've been in this prograrn for a year," she said. "I want to increase the timne I spend at it because I arn enjoying it more." Another volunteer who bas been in the one-to-one pro- gramn for two years, recently rnovcd to Wbitby and heard about volunteer work from a speech at the library. She was interested in learning and wanted to see results and work individually with a person. 1 She visits tbe patients at the bospaital two to* thre times a week and gets invo- lved in the ward activities. *Three afternoons of free baby sitting are-provided by the bospital ,for the cbildren of volunteers, and tbere is a nursery school programn for them s0 the mothers may be free to carry on their volun- teer duties. Another similar pmogram to one-to-one volunteers is the Occupational Therapy Social Group which bas been in operation for 1 1/2 years." .Tbree volunteers meet once a week on Wednesday afternoons to work with. an avemage of eigbt patients. Tbey generaliy work witb sbort-term patients to get tbem to socialize. These are sby, withdrawn people wbom the volunteers take off the grounds of the bospital to acetivities in the community. The patients, aged 18 to 65 are referred to tbe group by the bospital staff. They deveiop confidence and the gyroui ipcYbegin ohepnin plan- Those one-to-one volunteers at tbe Whitby Psychiatmic Hospital, take a few moments out of tbeir busy schedule to join their children in the nursery scbool provided on the bospitai site. From left to right are Bobbie Bicknell, Jason Peddle and bis Mother Mavis, Katby Mullen and ber daugbter Mamnie, and Darlene Wilson and ber daughter Betbany. The one-to-one volunteers are particularly beipful in preparlng patients for discbharge from the hospital into the com munity,- by developing a close reiationsbip of trust and confidence as they belp tbem achieve tbe life skilis tbey need. Free Press Photo patients.' As is alwayýs the case, there is a need for more voluinteers for these pro- grains, especially maie v'oluntecrs. Mrs. Metrick would like to enlist 10 new volunteers this spr ing. Any- one interested may eau bher at 668-5881;, extension 323. The current one-to-one volunteers are Anna Millian, Vera Sibiock, Gary Gannon, Darlene Wilson, Bobbie -Bickneil, Katby Mullen and Dorothy Westney. The Occu- pational Therapy Social Gro'un consists of Carol Amero, Rachel Midgebam and Mavîs Peddle. 1977 LINCOLN CONTINENTAL MARK V White with dark red vinyl roof & matching interior. Fully loadedi *Lic. LMM 549 $1 1#995 1976 MONTEGO 4 DR. BROUG HÀM Dark blue metallic with matching vinyl roof & i nterior, air conditioning, P/W, AM/FM stereo. Lic. KJT 261 $4895 1976 THUNDERBI RD Silver metallic with dark red velour interior, P/W PIL, P/seats, P/antenna, P/trunk, air, cruise, tilt, AM/FM stereo 8 track, wire wheel covers, Michelin tires. Lic. KTF 805 $ 9 5 1976 MARQUIS BROUGHAM 4 DR. Gold metallic with nuetching velour interior. Fully loadedl Li c. 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