Volunteer devotes her days to ‘making people happy’

Milk River residents enjoy their quality time with Paula Jack

By Kelly Morris

Volunteering runs in the family for Paula Jack.

“I say volunteering is genetic,” says Jack. “My mother had a huge passion for volunteering, and I envied her because I saw how she loved it and considered it her job to look after people. So, I said when I grow up, ‘I want to be just like you, mom.’

“We lost my mom four years ago to cancer, so I feel like I'm carrying on her legacy.”

Moving from the Okanagan, Jack and her husband were drawn to Milk River, settling there after retirement. Jack immediately set out to find organizations in need and signed up to volunteer. In addition to volunteering with the local senior’s organization, museum and food bank, a poster led her to registering as a volunteer in the long term care unit at the Milk River Health Centre.

“For me it was about making an impact somehow on the community, and for me it was there (in long term care),” says Jack. “I remember going to see my stepfather in long term care and I remember the loneliness that I saw in people who didn't have anyone come and visit them or see them. I thought I could be a friend to even one or two people, make their day a little bit better.”

Jack has taken on different roles including hosting residents in the salon for Pamper and Polish where she paints resident’s nails and massages their hands.

“I get to take them to the salon. Get them a cup of coffee. Make them comfortable. In the room that we sit in there’s a pergola and courtyard, so they get to look outside and I get to chat with them, or not,” Jack adds with a smile. “I have one client who doesn't talk. She fell asleep while I was giving her hands a massage so I know she was relaxed.”

Jack also assists with calling bingo, or visits with residents to chat or play board games.

“Even stopping to see someone just for a minute – I stop and I just rub their arm and ask them if they need anything. It just takes a minute. I can take that time. I have it to take so I just stop and I say ‘good morning’ to everyone. It's nothing more than about making people happy.”

Jack’s approach is calm, kind and aims to meet the residents where they’re at. Having seen her stepfather in a care facility, and aware that she or other loved ones could be in the same shoes one day, Jack works to get to know the residents personally.

“I think about how I someday could be there, and I think how would I feel if I was in that person’s shoes. It’s why my approach is very gentle in the beginning, because I think, ‘well, I'm not just going to barge in here and say, hey, I'm here!’ I get to know people and sit and talk with them and make them comfortable with who I am.”

Volunteers are always needed, and Jack would like to share what a great environment Alberta Health Services (AHS) provides volunteers.

“I keep going out to the community and saying, ‘boy, we sure need more volunteers at long term’. We only have 825 people here (in Milk River) and the majority of our population are elders. I hear them say, ‘I physically can't do it’ and in that circumstance I totally understand. But if you feel good, I say, ‘how would you like to feel great’, because that's what I feel like when I leave there.”

Throughout the South Zone, there are a variety of volunteer roles to fit everyone’s skills, abilities and interests – and training is available. Jack has already taken advantage of the online training available to AHS volunteers, taking more than 10 courses on topics ranging from wheelchair transportation, assisting with patient feeding, and courses on hospice and palliative care.

“I really like that they are short courses – and that I can take them at my leisure,” adds Jack. “If I want to stop and come back later, I can do that. There are lots of advantages to the training they're offering, and I think it's a great approach to it.”

Jack also sits on the Volunteer Resources branding committee, sharing her passion in hopes of inspiring others to get involved, give back, and feel as good as she does.

“I'm so happy to do it,” says Jack. “One of the nurses came to me one day and she said ‘thanks for all you do here.’ I said, ‘you know what? I'm happy to do it, plain and simple.’ I don't look for any accolades. I don't look for any recognition. I don't look for anything. I'm just happy to do it.”