Volunteers week 2021: Sabthagi
Meet Sabthagi Sivathasan, who has volunteered as a mealtime assistant on Hardy Ward since December 2019.
"Due to the pandemic, I took a break from volunteering in March 2020 and returned in September.
"Volunteering as a mealtime assistant has been very rewarding. I start my shift at 11.30am when I walk around the ward to talk to the elderly patients and check on their mental wellbeing.
"After this, I talk to the nurses to identify any patients who need any extra support, such as help with feeding, so that I can assist them when they have their lunch at 12noon.
"I help distribute the meals, and then make sure the patients are comfortable by putting a pillow behind their backs if they would like to sit up or providing them with tissues, etc. After I have helped with lunchtime, I will support the hostesses in distributing tea and coffee to the patients.
"After lunch, if there are any patients who are awake (most patients like to take a nap), I will chat to them and make sure that they are doing well.
"I started volunteering as I had some extra time and I felt that this would be a meaningful way to spend it.
"Through volunteering as a mealtime assistant, I feel that I have been able to positively contribute to the mental wellbeing of the patients that I have interacted with. Many patients feel lonely, especially in the current Covid-19 situation, as family members may not be able to visit them.
"Some of the patients that I have interacted with mentioned that they appreciate talking to someone who isn't a healthcare professional. Volunteering is very rewarding and I would recommend it to anyone who would like to have a positive impact on another individual’s life."