Volunteering at SJSM Village
Our volunteers are valued members of the SJSM Village, and currently, we’re actively serving at our nursing home community. By signing up to volunteer with us, you’ll be bringing joy to the nursing home residents, families & staff. What’s more is you will have the chance to encounter meaningful experiences and enriching the lives of the people around us
It is very heart-warming to see the residents’ faces light up as they participate in the Music and Movement! – Lisa Loh
The joy you see on the face of a resident enjoying a baked treat us priceless! – Yee Ling
Interest groups currently running:
Pastoral Befriending
You will be befriending residents of the nursing home, offering them a listening ear, providing companionship, and showing them loving care and concern. As some residents do not frequently receive visitors, your smile and friendship will brighten their day! You’ll be provided with befriender training and support. To establish a closer and warm-hearted relationship between you and resident, we would especially appreciate volunteers who can commit to a minimum frequency of monthly visits.
For queries, email Revd Chan at chancheekeng@sjsm.org.sg.
Group Exercise
You will be engaging and persuading residents to have fun and stay physically active through leading and encouraging them to partake in exercise and sing-alongs – usually guided by an exercise video. On occasion, you’ll also introduce and organise simple games to the residents to develop eye, limb, hand and brain coordination.
Usually helmed by 3 volunteers, exercise sessions are conducted weekly on weekdays, from 3 to 4PM.
Sensory Art & Craft
We seek patient, enthusiastic individuals with a willing heart to partner with our residents at the Nursing Home.
Your role is simply to encourage and assist them in exploring their five senses through arts and crafts.
Our sessions are held on Mondays and Wednesdays from 2pm to 4pm.
Music & Movement
You will be helping to organise and engage residents in listening and moving to music, which will employ various muscle memories that would otherwise be under-utilized. Familiar songs of different languages and dialects, and oldies from the 60s and 70s will be played while the residents move their limbs and bodies to choreographed gentle movements at our half-hour session. Musical percussion instruments, such as, tambourines and shakers will also be incorporated into the activity.
You will be actively engaged to:
- Observe the activity and render help when necessary
- Encourage residents to participate in the movements by assisting and guiding them
- Instruct and conduct the activity
Day and time of activity:
- Thursdays and Fridays: 2.30 to 4PM
- Other weekday afternoons (to be confirmed): 2.30PM-4PM
Cooking & Baking
GraceKitchen is a group of SJSMers who bake and cook to bless residents and staff of the nursing home. We bake treats using tested recipes for all residents and staff during festive occasions, such as Easter, Christmas and Nurse’s Day.
We’re looking for bakers and cooks who would like to:
- Bake or cook treats at your home to be delivered to the nursing home
- Join a team to go into the nursing home on a weekday to bake/cook with a small group of residents
You can also help us by:
- Joining as a driver to collect and deliver goodies to the nursing home
- Contribute funds for the bakes/cook outs
PawFriends (Animal Interaction)
If you have a calm and sweet-natured dog that enjoys interacting with humans, we invite you to join our Pawfriends volunteer group. We bring cheer to the residents by using our pets as a bridge to connect with them. As some of the residents have dementia, we have observed that interaction with our pets (e.g. petting or brushing them, playing ‘fetch’, getting our pets to perform tricks, etc.) encourages these residents to engage their social, physical and mental capacities more, thereby empowering them over their condition. Pawfriends sessions are held on Tuesdays from 9.45am to 11am, and Thursdays from 2.45pm to 4pm.
Hair-cutting
If you possess some basic hair-cutting skills, we want you! Help improve our residents’ grooming by offering them a fresh haircut.
Monthly hair-cutting sessions are held on weekends between 2pm to 4.30pm. Barber kits are provided.
Board Games
If you enjoy playing timeless favourites such as Snakes & Ladders and Bingo, we welcome you to join our residents for a game of fun! You will also get the chance to host Price is Right, a top favourite among our residents and find joy from seeing their gleaming smiles as they accomplish game tasks and win prizes!
Questions:
If you have queries except Pastotal Befiending, please contact Ryan or Amanda at sjsmnh_volunteers@sanh.org.sg or WhatsApp 8859 6477.