Are you looking for opportunities to give back to others by providing caring support, compassion and fun? Maybe you are looking to discover your purpose, boost your overall health, meet new people, build new skills, decrease loneliness or combat stress? Volunteering at a place like Gracedale Nursing Home in Nazareth, Pennsylvania, can provide you with all of that. 

Maybe you are retired and in a place to give back and share your talents and time, or maybe you are much younger and looking to gain experience in being around an older adult community and looking to build some skills to prepare you for the working world.  Whatever your age and whatever your reasons, Gracedale has many volunteer opportunities for you. Volunteering can yield big benefits for both the person devoting their time and to the people who receive your services, so it’s a natural win-win!  We are always on the lookout for individuals or groups looking to provide caring support that benefits both our residents and our staff, who could always use an extra helping hand. Whether it’s devoting your time and talent for just one day, or all year long, there’s a volunteer opportunity for you. 

Volunteering at Gracedale gives you the opportunity to get to know our residents on a deeper level and you get to be that person that brings a smile to their face, brightens their day, or maybe helps them feel a little less alone. Joining residents on a walk through our beautiful gardens is a great way to help them get some exercise and enjoy the great outdoors. Three acres of lush beauty and natural serenity include a gardening area for residents, gazebos, bridges, paved pathways and numerous sitting areas. As we age, it’s particularly important to keep social interaction going. Volunteering to talk with, do activities with, or even just listen to a resident can help them feel valued and cared for in a way that’s truly meaningful. 

At Gracedale, adult volunteers can be part of a dynamic social group that offers many ways to benefit our residents and there are numerous group activities you can partake in. As an example, you can help arrange or sponsor a special event and bring your friends, co-workers, and teammates to help with an event we’ve already scheduled. And if you are religious, you can provide social ministry as part of a group of volunteers as our residents enjoy both contemporary and traditional services with music and social interaction. Also, you could adopt a nursing unit and send greeting cards or birthday cards to residents, visit during special occasions, and provide a small gift during the holiday season. If you happen to be crafty, we also have volunteer groups who donate handcrafted items and give them to residents. You can be the group that either creates them, donates them, or does both!

Aside from group volunteer needs, Gracedale also has many opportunities for individuals to provide a range of services. One of the biggest is resident transport across the Gracedale campus, to help residents get to where they need in a timely manner, from in-house therapy, to hair appointments, to in-person visitations. Maybe you just want to help a resident enjoy a walk or roll around the Gracedale grounds in the beautiful sunshine. We have opportunities for that too! In addition, activity assistants can help our staff keep our residents active. This can include transport to the activity in addition to helping them do the activity itself, which can include things like bingo, card tournaments, and crafts. Individual volunteers can also engage in conversation, assist with letter writing, and develop a personal relationship with residents. Our staff could also use help with many administrative tasks, and if you’ve got an inclination for it, we always need volunteers for stuffing envelopes, assembling mailers, and helping with filing. 

As you may already know, being around a pet, such as a cat or dog can provide instant companionship and a sense of stress relief and feeling of serenity. Why not be a pet therapy volunteer and help us bring residents and pets together for some bonding and relaxation time?

Other volunteer opportunities include serving as a gift shop clerk where you can help with sales, stocking and displaying items, and greeting guests. Or, if you happen to have talent that likes to be displayed on a stage, we are always looking for performers and entertainers who can brighten our residents’ days with a fun program. We can also always use help with assisting our residents as they go on numerous field trips throughout the year. 

And if you are a younger person looking to volunteer and you are age 14 or older, we’ve just recently started accepting volunteer applications! This is an excellent opportunity to meet other teens your age from other schools in the area who are also dedicating their time and talents to help others. Among the many benefits you’ll gain are increased responsibilities, interpersonal skills and leadership skills that are essential for entering the workforce. You’ll become part of a team while knowing you are making a difference in the lives of our residents. For information about our Junior Volunteer program, check out our volunteer page. 

As you can see, there are so many wonderful ways for you to become involved as a volunteer at Gracedale that will bring you a bunch of immeasurable benefits, including building lasting relationships with residents and other volunteers, boosting your own mental health while helping to make others feel happier and engaged, and filling your day with a sense of purpose. 

To find out how to get started, and to learn more about our many different volunteer opportunities, visit our volunteer page.

We are looking forward to seeing you!