By Beth Sanders, Founder of LifeBio.com

Note from Jill Friedman Fixler

I want to thank Beth Sanders Founder of LifeBio.com for her guest blog on utilizing volunteers to facilitate life stories for seniors and patients. Our healthcare readers will find this particularly helpful because of the HCAHPS reimbursement mandates that will be implemented this year.

Volunteers can make a substantive difference in the patient experience. Life biographies are one example of a great way to utilize volunteers in this process. Volunteers provide a valuable role in capturing the life stories of people in health care settings.

Ruby and her volunteer partner, Linda, were the perfect example of what can happen when two people come together. Ruby lived in a long-term care setting due to problems with her legs, but she had an excellent memory and 80+ years of life experience. Linda volunteered to meet with Ruby to help document her memories. When they met once a week, Linda asked just a few organized, prompting questions; questions about childhood, family relationships, jobs, vacations, holiday, pets, and much more. At first, Ruby didn’t think she had much to say, but the process unlocked her remembrances and things recalled were recorded by Linda on paper and then on the computer. For Ruby, the process re-ignited purpose and gave new meaning to her life—she looked forward to creating a lasting legacy for her children and grandchildren. For Linda, there was the fascination of seeing Ruby as a whole person with many life events shaping her journey. The relationship that formed between Ruby and Linda was truly the best part of all. When Ruby passed away, her family was very thankful to have Ruby’s story preserved.

As I enter my 31^st year as a volunteer engagement professional—remember, I was 12 when I started (that joke never gets old)—I have been reflecting on what has kept me in the field for so long. Certainly working with people who share the best of themselves has had a great deal to do with it. And it doesn’t hurt that the work is challenging and ever changing. But at the heart of my commitment to service are the colleagues that I have come to know through local and national professional organizations.

National volunteer week is finally here. We have planned for it and worked hard to make it special for the volunteers. How well I remember counting out pins, signing certificates, and putting the finishing touches on the volunteer breakfast, luncheons, and dinners. All of this is well and good and expected by the legions of traditionalist volunteers (born before 1946) who comprise a portion of our volunteer workforce today. Disappointingly, not every volunteer embraced these traditional recognition activities. I began to wonder why and made a commitment to explore new ways to provide recognition that would resonate with volunteers of all ages. I thought about my own family: give my 27-year-old son a T-shirt and he will wear it till it is threadbare; give my husband a ball cap and he will wear it with pride; give me a Starbucks gift certificate and I will take a friend out for coffee. More importantly the personalized note from the CEO will become my cherished memento. So I began to ponder new questions. If my multi-generational family wants different things, why are most volunteer recognition activities “one size fits all”? And I understand the legitimate concerns of younger volunteers asking why money is being spent on their recognition when it could be directed to clients and programs.  

Think you don’t have the time or the money for professional development? I hear that a lot from all parts of the nonprofit sector. The economy has devastated professional development funding with slashed training budgets and cancelled conferences. There are, however, lots of ways to engage with your professional community without leaving the comfort of your desk!

An early spring has blanketed much of the country – and all this sunshine and warmth make my household think not only of crocuses and spring breaks, but also tornadoes, floods, and other potential disasters. You see, my husband works in emergency services with the American Humane Association’s Red Star animal rescue team.

by Jill Friedman Fixler and Beth Steinhorn

You’ve probably heard – Facebook will be going public and Google has new privacy settings. One of the other social media trends we have been closely following is the rapid evolution of LinkedIn. Through the expansion of groups, postings, and discussions, LinkedIn has become a dynamic resource for improving knowledge, making connections in the field, and discussing current issues and trends. Additionally, it has added new sections to individual profiles that directly feed into volunteer cultivation as well as recognition. Here are a few ideas to explore and consider that will build your network, expose you to professional development, and enhance your volunteer engagement efforts.