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Lessons
Learned by Normandale Center for Healing & Wholeness
Normandale has learned valuable lessons through experience
about providing a successful Care Team Ministry program. Here are a few:
- If a faith community is sponsoring/starting the Care
Team Ministry program, then it must have the support of a pastor in
order to be viable. If a senior residential community is sponsoring
the program, then a senior administrative staff person must be supportive
of the initiative. Otherwise, it might be hard to get the program off
the ground.
- The organization sponsoring the Care Team Ministry must
realize that the Ministry:
- Cannot be all things to all people. The Care Team Ministry must set
boundaries on the program, and agree to do for the Care Receiver
only what a volunteer is able to provide.
- Requires strong ongoing leadership in terms of the Care Team
Ministry Coordinator—someone who is a good listener, a good “reader”
of people, and an effective communicator, and who can responsibly train
and monitor the work of volunteers.
- Is dependent upon volunteer support. There is a limit on
the number of volunteer hours available and the number of volunteers
available in a given community. Those maintaining the program should
be mindful of volunteer capacity and number of requests coming into
the program.
- Keeps Care Receivers’ information and care needs confidential.
- When a senior moves away, moves into a nursing home,
or dies, the volunteer activities end. The volunteer may not be ready
to serve for some time afterward—given their strong feelings of
loss. Allow the volunteer to initiate a conversation about serving in
a Care Team again, when that volunteer feels ready for a new “assignment.”
- The Care Team Ministry volunteer work should not duplicate
services that may be available in the community, like bringing meals
to the Care Receiver on a long-term basis when there is a meals-on-wheels
program already in place, or providing rides within town boundaries
when a “dial-a-ride” program is available for seniors. Frequently
other ongoing needs, like homemaking or lawn mowing also can be met
by services available in the community. The Care Team program should
fill gaps left by social service programs or reach people not typically
served.
- Agree to do only one volunteer
service for the Care Receiver. As the Care Receiver’s needs change,
the Care Team activities may be reassessed. This helps stem a tide of
requests that may overwhelm the program and the volunteer.
- Continue to reinforce to Care Team volunteers that they
need to set boundaries. Constantly remind the Care Team volunteers they
are not to do such things as: serve as bath aides, administer medications,
lift or transfer.
- Constantly remind the Care Team volunteers to keep the
Care Receiver’s name and needs confidential.
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