FAQs about working with older people
Support for older people
If you're a call companion, please discuss this with your group coordinator in the first instance to look for possible solutions or signposting to services that may be able to help, such as Action on Hearing Loss.
If our service is no longer suitable then group coordinators should report this in their monthly feedback form to the support team.
Having a clear understanding of what’s expected of you in your role - and what isn’t – is extremely important. What's not included in the volunteer role is doing any shopping or errands for the older people in our service. Please refer to the boundaries guidelines for volunteers in the volunteer handbook for more information on this. If an older person is asking for help with things like shopping or other errands, this might mean that they are in need of more support from other service providers.
If they show an interest in being referred to/joining another organisation’s activities or services, please pass the older person the details of the organisation so that they can make contact themselves. Here is a link to other services that may be available to them: resources to call companions.
There will be individuals who use our services that have the support of other professionals or services who work with them, or they may be in position where services can be recomended to them. If an older person is experiencing something that is not within the remit of your volunteer role to support, please discuss with your group coordinator in the first instance, so they are aware and can update us in their monthly reports.
If an older person shows an interest in using another organisation’s activities or services, you could pass along the details of an organisation so that they can make contact themselves. A list of some national support services are here.
Please do not pass their personal information on to any third-party organisations/person yourself; guidance on keeping data safe can be found here, please contact our support team to discuss any specific concerns at knowledge@reengage.org.uk
For help and support through bereavement, please visit the Cruse Bereavement Care website. As well as chat services, they have resources for those who have experienced a loss, and for supporting people who are recently bereaved.
If you feel an older person is in need of specialised support in dealing with their grief, you can pass along the details of Cruse or another bereavement service, so that they can make contact themselves. We would encourage you to speak with your group coordinator to make them aware of the issues you, or the older person you support, are facing.
Boundaries
No, volunteers are not able to accept gifts or money from an older person. Please read our boundaries guidelines. However, if the older person would like to make a donation, they can donate on our website.
If they don't have access to the internet, they can post a cheque to Re-engage, 7 Bell Yard, London, WC2A 2JR or call us on 0800 716543.
As you get to know the older person they may sometimes share very personal things. Please keep anything the older person tells you confidential unless they disclose something you feel could cause serious harm to themselves or others.
If they do disclose anything you are concerned about or if you're worried about the older person's welfare, please talk to your group coordinator and refer to our volunteer handbook for further guidance.
We provide guidance around having difficult conversations and enforcing boundaries that are worth reviewing to guide your conversations with the older person. Click on these links to access these training modules.
If you need further support, you can contact the Re-engage support team on knowledge@reengage.org.uk.
We are committed to ensuring that our volunteers and older people are not subjected to discriminatory or offensive behaviour and language.
Please discuss with your group coordinator to decide the best approach. If appropriate and you feel comfortable to speak to the older person about this behaviour and its impact, please make them aware of the guidelines we expect them to follow.
If you are a group coordinator, please report this to the support team. They can support you with having conversations with an older person and will review with you the older person's participation in the service if necessary.