Volunteer Anne O’Connor and her fluffy companion Ellie May visit the Forrest Centre Nursing Home weekly to provide a smile to patients. Photo: Supplied.
For Wagga’s own Anne O’Connor, volunteering her time to lift the spirit of those in the community is time well spent.
But what makes her volunteering even more special is that she gets to do it with her beloved four-legged companion, Ellie May. The duo are inseparable and their smiling faces are uplifting. Nowhere is that felt more than the nursing home Anne and Ellie May visit weekly, The Forrest Centre.
“I’ve lived 67 years in Wagga. There are quite a few people that I know who grew up in the area, and it’s nice to chat with them. You only need to spend 10 minutes with four to five people. For them, it’s like fresh air and brightens up their day,” Anne said.
“I worked for the government for 40 years and then looked after my parents who were quite ill in their last few years. After they passed, I thought, what am I going to do now? I enjoy talking to the oldies. They just love having someone to talk to and, most of all, they want to see the dog.”
Anne and her trusted Shih Tzu visit the 80-bed nursing home every week, and from the moment the pair walk through the door, patients’ smiles become instantly noticeable.
Ellie May enjoying her time with Dorothy, a resident at The Forrest Centre. Photo: ACCPA.
“Ellie May’s the best icebreaker. She’s really good at that, after the initial conversation they love to chat. They’re lovely people, and it’s a nice way to fill a little bit of time,” Anne said.
The Forrest Centre CEO Evan Robertson said Anne’s generosity with her time and spirit made such a difference in the day-to-day lives of residents.
“Her smile and her companionship are a real highlight of our pastoral program,” he said.
“Not to mention the two-in-one combo you get with Ellie May. I wish we had many more like Anne and Ellie. The value and service to our community from Anne’s contribution cannot be measured.”
All of Anne and Ellie May’s hard work has been noticed by the Aged and Community Care Providers Association, which this week announced Anne as a finalist for the Individual Volunteer Category at this year’s Excellence Awards.
ACCPA CEO Tom Symondson said the work of Anne and other volunteers is highly valued and appreciated in the aged care space.
“With a diminishing pool of people willing or able to volunteer, keeping and recruiting volunteers like Anne is increasingly important to the aged care sector,” he said.
“We applaud her volunteer work in aged care, her commitment, and her kindness for making such an obvious difference to the lives of the older people in Wagga.”
The winners of the ACCPA Excellence Awards in each category will be announced on Aged Care Employee Day, Wednesday, 7 August.
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