Volunteers Lyn and Carol bring the farm to Juniper Annesley

This Volunteer Week, we are shining a light on two volunteers who go above and beyond for residents at Juniper Annesley. Lyn and Carol, both retirement living residents at Juniper Annesley, have spent the past year running a fortnightly snack trolley through the residential aged care home next door.

This week, the pair added something new to their repertoire, raising money for and helping bring an animal farm visit to residents at Annesley.

The pair started volunteering at Juniper Annesley residential home when they were approached to see if they wanted to help out.

“They initially started us off with a little trolley,” Lyn said. “They went out and bought what they thought was good, a few toiletries, lollies, chocolates, chips. We had a float of money and we just started going around to all the rooms.”

Since then, the trolley has become something very popular amongst Annesley residents.

Lyn and Carol restock it themselves and have learned exactly what each resident likes.

“We try and buy when things are on special, we hunt around, go to all the supermarkets,” Carol said. “We don’t put much on it, but it’s amazing how it’s accumulated.”

The fortnightly visits have become something residents look forward to.

“They’re just so overwhelmingly happy to see us,” Carol said. “You knock on the door and one of the residents John just about falls out of his chair to get to us. Jared is in his wheelchair sitting in the doorway waiting, because they know roughly what time we’re going to get there.”

“They do more for me than what I do for them. I get more out of it. We laugh and joke with them” said Lyn.

The animal farm visit was Lyn’s idea, inspired by what she had seen animals do for older people at events like the Royal Show.

“I talked to Carol about it and thought, “Gee, I wonder if they would allow it.” So I made inquiries,” she said. “Mick and Michelle from the animal farm said, “Don’t worry, we know what to bring” animals that are gentle and like to be pet.”

Lyn passed the idea on to Residential Manager Asha Kayage, who gave the green light for it to go ahead. To cover the cost, the pair used money raised through the trolley over the year toward the animal farm and the remainder was donated to the dementia wing for new sensory items.

“We said we would do all this as long as it went back to the Annesley residents,” Carol said.  “We want them to have the benefit, because they’re the reason we’ve got it.”