Digital volunteers keeping older people connected

For National Volunteer Week Anchor Hanover is celebrating residents and colleagues who have made an impact on one another through their volunteer work. 

National Volunteering Week, which is held annually from 1st-7th June, honours the contribution volunteers make to our communities. This year marks the 37th Volunteer’s Week and is dedicated to saying thanks after a particularly challenging year. 

Louise Smith, Estate Manager at Anchor Hanover’s Strawberry Court retirement housing scheme in Scarborough, became a digital volunteer through Anchor Hanover’s GetConnected scheme. The scheme, which boosts residents’ access to technology via a tablet loan scheme and improves their technological confidence through support and guidance, enrols digital volunteers to offer IT support using a six-week course as a framework. 
Louise signed up to be a volunteer because of her love of technology and desire to improve residents’ wellbeing. 

She said:

I am a bit of a technology geek and as an Estate Manager at Anchor Hanover’s Strawberry Court retirement location, I think it is so important to support and encourage our residents to embrace technology and help them learn at their own pace. Being a digital volunteer is really rewarding. It can be quite emotional watching residents when they make their first video calls, the look of sheer joy at seeing their family and friends is priceless. 

One resident Louise has worked with is Malcolm Wild, 70, who is one of over 350 residents to have been loaned a tablet by Anchor Hanover across the country, as part of the GetConnected scheme. 

Louise supported Malcolm to make a Facebook profile and taught him how to use his tablet to make video calls which he has used to stay in touch with his family. 

Malcolm said:

I love using the tablet and have been able to speak with my granddaughter, play virtual basketball and explore the world through the messenger activities portal. The tablet is great, I absolutely love it and want to say a big thank you to Louise for teaching me the ropes.

Anchor Hanover’s Strawberry Court retirement housing scheme visit our dedicated webpage here.