VOLUNTEERS IN PROFILE: NATIONAL VOLUNTEER WEEK
Carmen Simkin is a familiar face at the Ballarat Base Hospital and Ballarat Regional Integrated Cancer Centre.
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She offers a welcoming smile and a listening ear to patients and family, hoping to reduce stress levels during their visit.
Ms Simkin has been volunteering with Ballarat Health Services for more than five years.
“We look after patients when they come in. It is a meet and greet. We offer them coffee, tea and tell them about programs for patients and their carers.
“Most are going through a tough time in their life. The main thing is to be a good listener and let people chat to you if they want to.”
Ms Simkin is one of 270 volunteers at BHS who work across a wide spectrum of health services, offering an extra level of care and support.
She gives her time working as a member of the Ballarat Base Hospital welcome team on Monday and Tuesday afternoon, and Tuesday morning at the BRICC Wellness Centre, while continuing to work at her job Wednesday to Friday.
“The Wellness Centre is a home away from home.”
People love coming there and relaxing and all the volunteers just try to make it better for them.
- Carmen Simkin
Ms Simkin has been told the friendly smiles of the volunteers means a lot to the patients.
“Sometimes we see people regularly. Sometimes they say ‘where have you been?’ if you haven’t seen them for a few weeks. They do like seeing familiar faces.
“You learn something every day. As well you get the satisfaction. As long as I have helped one person in the session I am quite happy. It is amazing, people will go to their appointments and say ‘thank you so much’ as they walk out.
“That’s the whole aim, is to make the patient more comfortable and relaxed when they get to their appointments rather than being stressed. They are usually stressed when they come into the hospital because they have had hassles parking so our aim is to make them more relaxed.”