I started my journey at The Salvation Army Toronto Grace Health Centre (TGHC) in early 2017. I wanted to get some experience working with patients and learn about what it takes to work in the rehab field, so I was assigned to volunteer with the rehab unit. Being a rehab volunteer at TGHC has been a very rewarding experience. My main responsibility includes portering patients from their rooms to the rehab gym throughout my shift. This is a crucial task because therapists have a designated amount of time to see each patient in a day, therefore it is important for patients to arrive on-time for their sessions to maximize the benefit from these sessions. My experience at TGHC has taught me the importance of responsibility, communication and commitment.
The most enjoyable aspect of volunteering at TGHC is the relationships I have built with patients from various backgrounds. One unique experience that stands out in my mind is one of the patients had a difficult time adjusting when she first arrived. The patient didn’t speak English and often required the help of a translator at her therapy sessions. It didn’t help that the patient didn’t know anybody in the hospital. Upon realizing this, the therapist asked me to speak to the patient in her language and asked her to remember the names of those involved in her care, including my name, my shift partner’s name and the therapists name. To go a step above, we printed our names with appropriate translations on a piece of paper and taped it in her room in case she forgets. Ever since then, the patient has become calmer and less agitated. This experience was enlightening because it taught me the importance of building a therapeutic relationship with patients and how such a relationship can have an impact on patients’ experience at the hospital.