Home’s partnership is ‘win-win’
Wednesday November 7, 2007 -- Deron Hamel
The folks at Southampton Care Centre look forward to twice-per-week visits from a young volunteer, thanks to a partnership between the Bruce County long-term care home and Community Living Owen Sound and District.

For the past two years, Neil Matheson, a recent high school graduate who is supported through Community Living, comes to the home Mondays and Thursdays for two hours each time.

Community Living is an organization with associations across the province which advocate for people who have disabilities.

On Mondays, Matheson helps with bingos. On Thursdays, he comes in to water plants and deliver mail, with the aide of his support worker. While he has done several other jobs in the community, he tells activity director Brenda Misch that volunteering at Southampton is his favourite.

The partnership, which was established about five years ago, has been successful, says Misch, who oversees Matheson’s volunteering duties.

“You really get to see the kids grow and mature,” says Misch of the partnership. “It is set up to be a working environment. (The volunteers) have to put their nametag on, and go through the process of learning how to greet residents.”

Since some residents at Southampton have disabilities, Community Living volunteers set a good example of inclusion, says Misch, adding Matheson is on a bowling team with one of the residents.

“It’s an extra friendly face and (residents) are always happy and smiling (when Matheson is there),” says Misch. “Residents are quite receptive to him . . . They put him on their calendars, because it’s Neil’s mail delivery every Thursday afternoon.”

Matheson is such a good volunteer that the home is looking at expanding his duties in the near future, says Misch. The biggest issue for Matheson will be finding the time, since he also works at a local supermarket.

Not only do his visits make residents happy and help out staff members, it’s also good work experience for Matheson, notes Misch.

“It’s a win-win situation,” she says.