VOLUNTEERING:
A Meaningful Way to Give Back By Rae Poynter As the Covid-19 pandemic continues to shape our world in unforeseen ways, the importance of reaching out to those most in need has become ever more pertinent. Older adults are a segment of the population that has been particularly affected by the pandemic and lockdowns of 2020. Three different organizations along the North Shore—Age Well Arrowhead, Community Partners and Meals on Wheels—provide vital services to older adults such as transportation, meals and home visits. Volunteers are a vital part of each organization, and lending a hand is one of the most meaningful ways to give back to the community. Volunteers are a vital part of each organization, and lending a hand is one of the most meaningful ways to give back to the community. | COMMUNITY PARTNERS
Age Well Arrowhead
would be taking grocery orders, which is done from home. Regardless of whether a volunteer is working in person or remotely, all volunteers are provided with the support and training needed to feel confident about the work they’re doing.
Age Well Arrowhead is a nonprofit based in Duluth, with the goal of helping older adults live independently for as long as possible. Mary Bovee has been the executive director of Age Well Arrowhead for five years, and said that the organization’s many operations can be divided into four main categories: in-home support, caregiver counseling, consultation services and training. While volunteers are needed in many different areas, one particular need since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic has been companionship. Volunteering as a companion means spending time with someone experiencing cognitive decline and providing them with someone new to spend time with while giving caregivers a break. Activities could include reading books, looking at photographs, playing games together, or helping with light tasks such as meal planning or running errands. “With adult day centers closed since the pandemic started, people are really in need of companionship,” Bovee said. Age Well Arrowhead also utilizes volunteers for providing transportation for anything from vital appointments to outings. “We have volunteers who drive people 14
NOVEMBER 2020
Though based in Duluth, Age Well Arrowhead offers services outside Duluth including Cloquet, Hermantown, Proctor, Superior, and everywhere in between. Bovee stressed the importance of providing services to older adults who live in rural areas as those places are often underserved. “We always encourage people who live in remote locations to volunteer,” she said. “It’s a great opportunity to reach out to neighbors who may need help. Many older adults want to keep living remotely, even if they don’t have as much access to services.” Age Well Arrowhead is a nonprofit based in Duluth, with the goal of helping older adults live independently. The organization’s many operations can be divided into four main categories: in-home support, caregiver counseling, consultation services, and training. | AGE WELL ARROWHEAD to weekly eye appointments and chemotherapy, and to rehab appointments like physical therapy where missing a week can really set you back,” Bovee said. “But there are even times when people just want to get out of the house and take a drive to look at the fall leaves because they can’t do that on their own.”
NORTHERN WILDS
Bovee said some have felt hesitant to volunteer due to fears of transmitting the virus to an older adult; while such concerns are valid, Age Well Arrowhead provides volunteers and participants with masks, hand sanitizers and trainings on safety protocols. Additionally, some volunteer opportunities are 100 percent remote: an example
Those interested in learning more about volunteer opportunities can contact volunteer coordinator Peter Hafften at (218) 6237804 or peterh@agewellarrowhead.org. Potential volunteers fill out a quick application and work with the volunteer coordinator to find the best mutual fit. For those that can’t volunteer but want to support Age Well Arrowhead in other ways, they can contact Mary Bovee at (218) 623-7806 or maryb@agewellarrowhead.org.
