Northumberland Hills Hospital thanks its volunteers

Photo courtesy of Northumberland Hills Hospital.

By Cecilia Nasmith, Northumberland 89.7 FM News

National Volunteer Week ended, on May 2, with Northumberland Hills Hospital hosting an appreciation luncheon with 170 in attendance at the Best Western Plus Cobourg Inn and Convention Centre.

The volunteers represented a variety of services to local health care, including members of the board of directors, the foundation and auxiliary, and the Patient and Family Advisory Council.

Vice-President of Patient Experience, Public Affairs and Strategic Partnerships Jennifer Gillard opened with highlights from the hospital's first volunteer experience survey at the end of last year.

“While NHH has long surveyed staff, physicians, midwives and, of course, patients on the quality of their experience, we had never until this past year surveyed volunteers to see why they choose to bring their time and talents to NHH,” Gillard said.

She reported that 94 percent of NHH volunteers agreed or strongly agreed that they felt valued for their contributions. As well, 98 percent agreed or strongly agreed that they would recommend NHH as a place to volunteer – as reflected in the volunteer teams' positive recruitment efforts over the past year.

Highlights of each team's unique contributions were shared, starting with the largest group.

NHH Auxiliary

Including work at their two retail outlets, auxiliary volunteers contributed more than 30,000 hours of service in 2024.

The Petticoat Lane thrift store and Little Treasure Shop hospital gift shop raise money for the hospital, but the auxiliary also serves in more direct ways, Gillard said.

“They greet people with a smile and help them find their way when they walk in the front door, or as they enter Cancer and Supportive Care or Women's Health. They support triage and communication to patients and families within our extremely busy Emergency Department. They support the Post-Acute Care Program's Hospital Elder Life Program. They operate an extremely important hydration program, delivering fresh cold water to every inpatient room,” she listed.

NHH Foundation

With more than 75 active members, the foundation was also recognized for its tremendous contributions and support. In September, they celebrated the successful conclusion of the largest fundraising campaign in the entire history of Northumberland County, announcing that their Exceptional Community, Exceptional Care campaign (led by Chair Hank Vandermeer and a dedicated volunteer cabinet) had raised an incredible $26.3-million.

Board of Directors

The board members, and their supportive corps of community committee volunteers, dedicate hundreds of hours of service to the governance of the organization each year, monitoring strategic priorities, quality and fiscal health.

Patient and Family Advisory Council

With their many operational tables and working groups throughout NHH, this band of volunteers plays a critical role in bringing the lived experience of patients and their caregivers into the hospital's service planning and process improvement. Over the last 12 months, they have contributed more than 800 hours of volunteer service.

Also honoured were student volunteer, volunteers with the growing Spiritual Care service and the St. John Ambulance Therapy Dog volunteers who brighten spirits with their pets.

Following lunch, Cheryl Athersych from the Ontario Age-Friendly Communities Outreach Program and the Centre for Studies in Aging and Health at Providence Care in Kingston spoke on the power of volunteerism.

Her address included the positive impact of being a volunteer, such as enabling intergenerational bonds, increasing the social capital that builds trust and networks, delaying the progression of memory issues (such as early-onset Alzheimer Disease) and reducing stress, depression and anxiety.

While many communities are seeing a decline in volunteerism, Athersych said, “your community is a great outlier in this regard. Your volunteer engagement at NHH is actually increasing over the last few years, and those additional volunteers are having profound impacts on the community.

“It's a testament to all of you in the room, and to your goal of being a People First environment for not only clients, but staff, physicians and volunteers. I tip my hat to those who really focused on fostering an environment where that could happen.”

Gillard added the thanks of the NHH team, saying, “It is our hope that the experience of volunteering enriches your lives as much as it enriches the experience of care at NHH.”