International Volunteer Day - Spotlight - Simone

International Volunteer Day is December 5 and on this day we celebrate the work of all Joseph Brant Hospital (JBH) volunteers. Volunteers are an integral part of JBH’s commitment to provide exemplary health care. Today we are featuring Simone, one of our volunteers from the Eating Matters program.

“The moment I arrive for my shift, I feel a connection amongst other volunteers, staff and patients throughout the hospital.”

Simone has been a volunteer at JBH for over five years and is now the co-Lead of the Eating Matters program. This program is a volunteer-based program that aims to improve patients’ nutritional intake by providing assistance at breakfast and lunch.  There are two levels of volunteer assistance depending on the patient’s dietary requirements.

 “We provide assistance under the direction of dietitians and speech language pathologists on a variety of floors, including rehabilitation and palliative. Our program volunteers include university students from Applied Nutrition programs and Co-op students from local high schools in Halton.”

Volunteers are an integral part of this program, as patients have lost the family connection of eating together during mealtime and sharing stories, as a result, they are discouraged to eat. This lack of nutrition may impact their overall health.

During mealtime, volunteers provide support to clinical staff and this involvement allows the clinical staff to focus on other priorities. The volunteers work as a team on these shifts.  Volunteers review the meal menu with the patient, open containers as required and give encouragement to enjoy their meal.  Engaging in conversation with them provides the socialization they need.  As a result of good nutrition and the rehab they receive, patients are able to build more strength and work towards being discharged.

We asked Simone what inspired her to become a volunteer at JBH and take on a Lead role in the program.

“Circumstances in my life brought me to the realization that I could be helpful to patients and their families in our hospital and help them with their needs during their stay. It was my passion for the program and its mission that inspired me to take on a Lead role in the program.”

What motivates Simone in her role in the Eating Matters program?

“The feedback we receive from members of a patient’s family. Their gratitude confirms that we live the hospital values of Compassion, Accountability, Respect and Excellence and we do this together as a team of committed volunteers.”

Thank you Simone for all your work as a volunteer!

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JBH Annual Report 21-22: Extraordinary Moments, Exceptional Care

The 2021-2022 Annual Report showcases the extraordinary to the seemingly ordinary moments from the past year that collectively represent the compassion, accountability, respect, excellence and service our teams share with our patients every day, even when faced with the adversities of the COVID-19 pandemic. Stories reflect a moment in time – please view the Annual Report webpage for a more fulsome report on statistics.