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Volunteerism made easy with swinging

Almost anyone can swing on a Whisper GLIDE; therefore this activity is ideal for volunteerism. In addition, because the Whisper GLIDE allows people to swing together, swinging can create a cheerful, social environment.

An important point to consider when incorporating swinging as a volunteer activity is to determine what works best for your residents. The following ideas can be very effective for making swinging part of the volunteer experience. Whisper GLIDE can provide you with an easy-to-use guide that contains examples of these ideas (job descriptions, procedures, etc.).

Ideas checklist

• Start with a volunteer job description - Job descriptions are incredibly helpful with almost any volunteer activity, because they communicate the importance of what the volunteer is doing!
• Generate procedures - This covers the activities involved in getting to the swing (such as coordinating with nursing staff) as well as actual swing use. Of course, training in proper procedures must be done to ensure a safe activity.
• Consider initially using a brief "journal/log" - Using a journal/log which records a volunteer's experience is helpful because it communicates to the volunteer that the activity is significant, and it also tracks how residents like to swing and socialize.
• Announce your program - Flyers can both announce the program, and also enable residents to indicate their desire for a swing ride.
• Enjoy Swinging!
• Recognize your volunteers - You can show appreciation in many ways, such as giving a photo taken while volunteering or having an annual recognition celebration. Recognition encourages future involvement!

This article is an excerpt of Volunteers and the Whisper GLIDE Swing - a complete guide available from Whisper GLIDE Swing Co.

This article was written by Carol Baker, Director of Volunteer Services at Lyngblomsten Care Center in St. Paul, MN. Lyngblomsten, a longterm care facility with 250 residents, has more than 500 volunteers.