Do you do any volunteering? Share your experience here!

[vanessa-vaile]

A bunch — looking back over the years, I’d say it’s a lifetime habit. Since age and health slowed me down, volunteering has been mostly digital with a focus community service and advocacy. For example, my local FB page, Life in the Manor and points west combines local community information/notices and aging/senior issues content — side emphasis on rural health and development as well as related digital issues. I’m still maintaining a community page for the rural New Mexico community where I lived before moving to Colorado as well one political/voter education and two social justice advocacy pages.

Brittany, your volunteering reminds me of this article on intergenerational volunteering in one of my senior related newsletters that I just posted to the Manor page, https://seniorplanet.org/2019/12/13/if-its-wednesday-i-must-be-a-bubbie/

[Colleen]

@vanessavaile I enjoyed the newsletter that you shared and love the idea of intergenerational volunteering! I also think that what your digital volunteering is so important and I can only imagine how many people your support and advocacy has helped.

My column this week actually focused a lot on volunteering and the various ways people can play a part. Even small acts can make big differences.

https://pulmonaryhypertensionnews.com/2019/12/16/season-goodwill-christmas-acts-kindness

[vanessa-vaile]

Colleen, thanks…and what a great column — and not-just-for-holidays reminder. I’ll be sharing it as a combo holiday/PH awareness post on sundry social media platforms. There’s frequent overlap in chronic illness/disability and aging articles. A chronic information collector, I curate content in all three categories (among others). Cross-generational programs for seniors are a relatively recent and not yet common practice. Here at the Manor I see a tendency for residents to self-isolate within the community (but then complain when the outside community doesn’t pay attention). So I try to post regularly about cross-generational programs and area off-premises events/activities. No lectures or admonitions — just information. Show not tell. OTOH cross-geneational goes with the territory for pulmonary hypertension.

[Colleen]

Vanessa, thank you for your opinion about my recent column and for wanting to share it. A reaction I received from it inspired my question about what is available for adult PH patients who are homebound. I appreciate the suggestions that you and the other members provided.

Prior to your mention of it, I had read about a cross-generational program and thought it was such a great idea! Thank you also for the reminder, “No lectures or Admonitions – just information”.

[brittany-foster]

Vanessa,
I know that your contributions to any online platform and advocacy would be so helpful to others. You do such an amazing job sharing your advice and questions here for others and I know that helps people feel less along with what they may be going through. Thank you for sharing your time with us too.

[v-r-peterson]

I knit zebras for children with PH, I help moderate a Facebook group for CTEPH patients and caregivers, and I’ve recently joined as a volunteer for PHA e-mail and phone support. I haven’t actually started taking e-mails or phone calls yet, as I’m still in training and learning lots of helpful tips. I also knit a baby sweater for every newborn baby in my town, but that probably doesn’t count as volunteer work, as it’s just something I started doing without asking if it needed doing. I also occasionally teach a crochet class in my town.

[Colleen]

@mamabear007 Wow, you keep yourself busy doing wonderful things! I am so touched by all your special projects and volunteer work. I think there is nothing more rewarding than using your talents to help others. I’m sure you are a blessing to many!

[v-r-peterson]

Thanks @colleensteele. Don’t give me too much credit. Keeping busy keeps me sane. 🙂

[Colleen]

@mamabear007 I get it, but, you could keep busy in other ways that don’t help people as much as you do. I still think you are very generous and kind with your time and talents.

[v-r-peterson]

Thank you, @colleensteele.

[jen-cueva]

Again, this is an older topic that is always important. Many of us, with PH, tend to volunteer in a variety of ways. I think that with the pandemic, this may impact some of the volunteering. If you were volunteering in person before, have you been able to do some volunteering virtually?

I recall many here who volunteer and wanted to see how y’all are doing now. Are you able to continue to volunteer in some capacity? Let’s talk about this.

[carol-volckmann]

What wonderful ideas from everyone. Living with this pandemic has certainly made volunteering a challenge. Today most of my time has been volunteering writing letters, making calls etc. trying to get folks registered to vote and to vote. Volunteer work I have always felt is something people do as what ever it is, it is their passion. Most of my passion has been working with kids. Kids on a terminal floor of a hospital, run away kids, kids with disabilities- today it is more with people going through a crisis. I always learn more from those who are in need. I look forward to doing as much as I am able. Thanks for bringing this up it has inspired me!

[jen-cueva]

Thanks for sharing @cdvol3gmail-com; this is such an important part of volunteering, especially today. Voting and helping those register, if not yet, is so important in many ways. I never thought of volunteering for that this season. I did help years ago with voting at a call center a few hours per week. I met some amazing people within my community when I did that.

You are correct. Our passions are what lead us to volunteer. Kids and the elderly have always been a passion for me. Mostly kids who are sick or hurt and cannot help themselves. Kids are so resilient, we can learn so much from them.

After my PH diagnosis, PH has become a passion as I want to PHight until we have a cure!

Kudos to you and keep up the good work.