Engaging volunteers to help older adults stay healthy at home: The development of the TAPESTRY volunteer program

Oliver D, Avilla E, Nair K, Longaphy J, Gill S, Dolovich L, on behalf of the TAPESTRY team

WHAT IS TAPESTRY?

TAPESTRY OVERVIEW

• A Health Canada funded initiative with additional support by the Government of Ontario (MOHLTC), LaBarge Optimal Aging Initiative, and McMaster Family Health Organization

» Duration of funding is 3 years

• Funding awarded to the Faculty of Health Science, McMaster University

» Project is coordinated through the DFM» Project team reports to Dr. John Kelton (Dean, FHS) and

Dr. David Price

• Co-Leads on the project:» Dr. Lisa Dolovich (PharmD), Dr. Doug Oliver (MD), Dr.

David Price (MD)

Goal of TAPESTRY

To improve the health of older adults in Canada

New Ideas

• Training Volunteers to serve as a linkage to the primary care team.

– Relationships will form in the home– Volunteers will add eyes and ears on the ground

• Using Technology from the home to link directly with the primary care team

– iPads with TAPESTRY APP for volunteers to use– Introduction of MyOscar (PHR)– Innovative resources (ie; Optimal Aging Portal)

TAPESTRY Intervention

Patients

Trained Volunteers

Information Technology

System Navigation & Community Engagement

Inter-professional

Teams

COMMUNITY TRAINED VOLUNTEERS

• Young Canadians (15 to 24 years old) consistently volunteer more than any other age group:– Younger Canadians volunteer rate: 58%– Pre-retirees (55 to 64 years old) volunteer rate: 41%– Older adult (≥65 years old) volunteer rate: 36%

• Older adult volunteers devote more hours than younger volunteers – Average of 223 hours each year versus 130 hours each year

Volunteering: 2010 Statistics Canada

Key motivating factor in their decision to volunteer

To make a contribution to the community93% of volunteer respondents

Statistics Canada, Canada Survey of Giving, Volunteering and Participating, 2010 http://www.statcan.gc.ca/pub/89-649-x/89-649-x2011001-eng.htm accesed May 20, 2012 1:55 pm

• Coordinated by Volunteer Coordinator & Research Team– Recruitment

• From already existing volunteer organizations• Application, Screening, Interview• Police Check• Immunization Record• Proof of Drivers Licence

– Training (3 days)• Communication skills iPad Training• Home visit safety Understanding the Tools• Confidentiality and Privacy Use of the TAP APP• Cultural Sensitivity Test of Proficiency (OSCE

day)

Volunteer Recruitment & Training

Online Training

Trained Community VolunteersVolunteers will travel to the patient’s home in pairs

• Novice (student) volunteer + experienced volunteer (peer)

1. Provide a social connection

2. Gather information• Related to goals, function, social connectivity, nutrition, fitness

3. Share information• Related to MyOSCAR, The Optimal Aging Portal and other community resources

4. Provide a Longitudinal Connection with Patients• For social support, follow up with self identified goals, and information sharing

with the clinical team

TAP APP

Volunteers – Novice• University students

– Surprised by the diversity of patients/clients.

– Open to suggestions from experienced partner

– Some felt less comfortable, but more secure with experienced volunteer

– Helpful to observe the communication style of experienced volunteers.

Volunteers – Experienced• Older adults >3 yrs vol. exp.

– When visits smooth or easy, questioned if they did something wrong

– Shares more insight into client’s emotions and current struggles

– Shares key points with novice volunteer:• Eg; Turn off cell

Volunteer Cross-Generational Experience

Client Feedback about Volunteer Visits

• Enjoyed seeing volunteers, led to self-reflection

• “…you go along in your life… you know things just happen…But the thing it [volunteer visit] did for me, made me stop and think…maybe this will apply to me and it’s changed my thinking”

• “They didn’t make you feel threatened in any way…and asked a lot of questions.”

• “I really felt they were doing something they were enjoying as well which made me feel comfortable… their approach was [by] the book, really trying to find answers and I appreciated that.”

Client Feedback about Volunteer Visits

HCP Feedback about Volunteer Visits

• Surprised how much information the patient has told the volunteers about their medical history, impressed with how much volunteers are able to gather

• Volunteer recruitment for RCT (Sept 2014)– Shalom Village– > 50 volunteers recruited– Online training August 2014

• Volunteer enrichment program– Bimonthly– 2 programs delivered; well-received (advanced

directives, elder abuse)

Next Steps

Take home points

1. Potential for health volunteers in primary care

2. Novel, interactive, on-line training strategies 3. Encouraging younger volunteers to get more

engaged in their communities4. Exploring the cross-generational relationships

formed through TAPESTRY volunteer pairings