Community Visitors Scheme

Older Australians experience high rates of loneliness and social isolation but there are different initiatives to improve social connectedness and encourage interaction in the community.

One example is the Community Visitors Scheme (CVS), which targets loneliness and isolation amongst aged care service recipients through companionship.

The initiative from the Department of Health uses volunteer visitors to meet with people through the CVS on a regular basis to provide friendship and social inclusion.

The service focuses purely on companionship, and the volunteer will not provide personal assistance like cleaning, personal care, or nursing.

The CVS improves quality of life to all involved with the program and has been proven to combat loneliness and isolation occurring in residential aged care or at home.

Older people who would benefit from the CVS include people who have little contact with family or friends, are isolated from their own culture or heritage, have issues with their mobility which prevents them from participating in social activities, or other personal issues that might make it difficult to engage socially.