What I liked
HELP is a wonderful program where volunteers get to be part of the clinical care team for elderly patients. The goal of the program is to prevent delirium. As a volunteer you talk with patients, guide them in range of motion exercises, help them eat if needed, and offer relaxing hand massages (touch therapy can be very important for many elderly patients, who are often socially isolated). As a HELP volunteer I felt I was truly providing a valuable service, while also learning a lot through continuous training. The HELP supervisor at INOVA Alexandria is also a wonderful person who made me feel valued and encouraged me as I applied for nursing school.
