Aged Care Volunteer Visitors Scheme (ACVVS)

Adopt a Nonna or Nonno

Connecting older people living in government-funded residential aged care facilities receiving support at homes services or at risk of social isolation, ACVVS is a life-changing program that supports regular volunteer visits to give friendship and companionship to older people in our community.

A volunteer visitor is matched with the resident or home care package client and usually visits for an hour once a fortnight at a time that is mutually suitable.

During a visit a volunteer and older person can do anything you both feel like doing, such as:

• reading or playing cards;
• listening to music or visiting the garden;
• chatting and reminiscing;
• watching TV together or looking at photo albums;
• walking together or speaking another language together.

For many Italian residents living in residential aged care homes, a volunteer visitor is the only source of contact with the wider community. These residents would be at a greater disadvantage without the social, emotional and spiritual of their volunteers.

Benefits of volunteer visitors include:

• greatly reduced social, linguistic and cultural isolation on admission into an aged care facility for Italian elderly;
• increased social and recreational contact for frail people still living at home who have become isolated and lonely;
• continued interaction with the wider Italian community;
• heightened awareness of CALD social needs in aged care homes and role volunteer visitors play in meeting these needs.

If you know someone who could benefit from companionship, refer them by requesting a Co.As.It. volunteer visitor!