For 73-year-old Pat Johnsone, becoming a volunteer was the last thing on her mind but once she started she knew it had been the right choice.
“Once I started to me I was someone important,” she said of her decision to volunteer at Riverview Gardens 17 years ago.
“It gives you confidence to meet new people and try different things. I know that I am appreciated for everything I do. I have grown as a person and learnt so many different things like how to use a computer for my craft.
“Don’t be shy, give it a try and you will never look back and be rewarded in so many ways.”
Pat said she first heard about Riverview during her time at work.
“During my years as a canteen conveynor one of my lady helpers worked at Riverview Gardens, so when my time was up at school I asked her what could I do?” Pat explained. “She said I talk to the reisdents and at the time I had no idea how to volunteer, so thought I would give it a go.”
Pat has many different roles over the years since starting.
“Well when I stated at Riverview I was a member of the Hospice craft group learning how to do paper craft which I have never done before,” she said.
“During that time I was over at Riverview Gardens so after nine years at the Hospice I decided to devote all my time at Rivervew doing craft and learning new things about the aged care side of things.
“In the early days I took residents to hospital appointments and many resident outings which everyone enjoyed. Over time my friends Betty Stevenson and Pat Neilson joined me in creating projects for our craft group to which now I devote all my time learning new things and passing them on to the group.
“All my time has been spent in the Hostel with the guidance of Kerry Petley, Stacey Everding and Penny Palmer. Kerry has helped us in every way possible to have supplies that we need to which I use a great deal of my papers wich I love doing. We are so lucky to be able to put our craft into the Ipswich Show and many a time we have been Champions which is a great boost.”
So what does she think she gets out of being a volunteer?
“I am 73 years old now and being a volunteer has given me the opportunity to mix with some wonderful people,” Pat said.
“Really I had no involvement with older people as a I lost my parents a long time ago. It is so satisfying to mix and talk to our older residents and they are so much fun to be with. The staff at Riverview are just wonderful and very welcoming and allow me to be flexible and help out on other projects they have on their agenda.”
