Volunteers needed to survey residents Langley long-terms care home

Initiative involves visiting seniors and learning about their experiences

Survey BC Seniors is calling on volunteers in Langley to support a project aimed at improving the quality of life of the province’s 29,000 plus long-term care residents. The initiative will see trained volunteers survey residents of Langley and Aldergrove care homes, asking them about their experiences and seeking their input on how to make improvements both locally and provincially.

The BC Office of Patient-Centred Measurement is leading the survey, and volunteers surveyors are needed, who will listen and interview seniors living in long-term care. According to Judy Zhu, regional engagement lead at the British Columbia Ministry of Health, volunteers will be asked to commit around 40 hours of their time.

“It’s quite an extensive survey. People really enjoy the experience, residents love it because someone is coming to visit who isn’t family or staff,” said Zhu.

She further shared that one of the survey’s main guiding principles is ‘inclusion.’

The survey is translated into several prominent languages unique to the resident demographic in the Fraser Valley region, including Punjabi, Farsi, Cantonese, Mandarin, German, Italian, and Korean.

However, she also pointed out at some of the unique challenges in the Fraser Valley region, where Langley is located.

“The area has several large care homes, and Langley’s four care homes still need approximately 537 residents to be surveyed. Additionally, the Fraser Valley has a diverse population, with residents speaking languages. As a result, the survey has been translated into these languages to ensure inclusivity.”

Jerry Gosling, a volunteer from Langley, has been on the council of advisors for the BC Seniors Advocate, Isobel Mackenzie, for the past five years. He is also one of the survey volunteers.

“I wanted to be involved with patients in long-term care homes and see what happens on a daily basis and also witness the challenges they face every day and night. I have enjoyed my time I have spent with them, and the learning curve is beyond measure.”

Janice Germaine, another volunteer from Langley, said, “becoming a volunteer surveyor appealed to me on several levels. As a retired healthcare professional, I could see how valuable this survey information will be. We all want high quality healthcare at any age. To really understand and have an impact, we must talk to those who are receiving that care.”

Germaine said the connection with individuals is important.

“I find that residents are happy to share feedback about where they live. Sometimes if a resident is having a bad day or they can’t answer specific questions, I just put my pen down and spend some time talking with them. I think that is rewarding for both of us.”

Survey BC Seniors is hopes that volunteers will enjoy the experience, meet new people, and come away with a sense of fulfillment. Anyone who is interested in volunteering can sign up through https://surveybcseniors.org/volunteer/. The project welcomes anyone interested in volunteering and making a difference in seniors’ lives.

The four long-term care facilities in Langley part of the survey are:

– Langley Lodge

– Extended Care Unit at the Langley Memorial Hospital

– Chartwell Langley Gardens Retirement Residence

– Fort Langley Seniors Community

The one long-term care facility in Aldergrove.

– Jackman Manor

Author is Tanmay Ahuluwalia

Published on February 24, 2023. It originally appeared here.