Volunteers Needed for Hospital-Friendly Visiting Program
Kitchener/Waterloo/Cambridge/Guelph – March of Dimes Canada is desperately seeking stroke survivors and caregivers to provide friendly visits to new stroke survivors in a hospital setting as part of its Linking Survivors with Survivors program. The minimum volunteer commitment is one to two hours a week.
Linking Survivors with Survivors (LSWS) focuses on the re-engagement and re-integration of stroke survivors into the community through hospital peer visits and community peer mentoring. Stroke survivors already well into their recovery visit patients who have just had their stroke to link them to local support groups and put a face to stroke recovery.
A stroke completely changes not only the life of the survivor, but family and friends as well. Encouragement from hospital staff, physiotherapists and loved ones is crucial to recovery. However; many people who have just survived their stroke find a visit from a survivor who has been there and can relate to the many challenges and emotions provides a unique sense of comfort and hope.
LSWS is comprised of four chapters and associates of March of Dimes’ Stroke Recovery Canada program® in the Waterloo-Wellington area, Grand River Hospital, the Waterloo Wellington District Stroke Program and Central South Regional Stroke Network. Funded by the Waterloo Wellington Local Health Integration Network (WWLHIN) Aging At Home Strategy, eight hospitals in the WWLHIN are actively engaged in this important initiative. For more information please visit www.marchofdimes.ca/lsws
Training and orientation is provided by March of Dimes Canada. If you, or somebody you know is interested in volunteering with this program, please contact Keith Rashid, Group Development Coordinator at 1-800 263- 3463 ext 7213 or email krashid@marchofdimes.ca