Blurring and Bridging: The Role of Volunteers in Dementia Care within Homes and Communities

Abstract

Policy makers across the political spectrum have extolled the virtues of volunteering in achieving social policy aims. Yet little is known about the role that volunteering plays in addressing one of the significant challenges of an ageing population: the provision of care and support to people with dementia. We combine organisational survey data, secondary social survey data, and in-depth interviews with people with dementia, family carers and volunteers in order to better understand the context, role and challenges in which volunteers support people with dementia. Social policies connecting volunteering and dementia care in homes and communities often remain separate and disconnected and our paper draws on the concept of policy ‘assemblages’ to suggest that dementia care is a dynamic mixture of formal and informal volunteering activities that bridge and blur traditional policy boundaries. Linking home and community environments is a key motivation, benefit and outcome for volunteers, carers and those living with dementia. The paper calls to widen the definition and investigation of volunteering in social policy to include and support informal volunteering activity.

Experiences and expectations of receiving volunteer services among home‐based elderly in Chinese urban areas: A qualitative study

“…Other studies elaborated on the motivations and incentives of volunteers 26,27 . However, there are very few studies that have explored the feelings and perspectives of the elderly on assistance, nor on whether such assistance is tailored to their actual needs 28 . A qualitative study in England described the experiences of older adult hoarders being helped by volunteers, but it still focuses on volunteers 29 .…”

“… 26 , 27 However, there are very few studies that have explored the feelings and perspectives of the elderly on assistance, nor on whether such assistance is tailored to their actual needs. 28 A qualitative study in England described the experiences of older adult hoarders being helped by volunteers, but it still focuses on volunteers. 29 Another study explored the experiences and benefits of receiving volunteer service from a home support programme established to assist older adults but only stated the importance of addressing the social, emotional and mobility needs of the recipients.…”

Exploring the role of volunteers in social care for older adults

“…This article contributes to the growing body of research concerning the role of volunteers in the provision of social care services for older people in England (Hoad, 2002, McCall et al 2020. In particular, the study draws attention to the development of a new model of involvement, in which volunteers worked to provide 'discrete', stand-alone services with Q u a l i t y i n A g e i n g a n d O l d e r A d u l t s 14 managerial support from paid workers.…”

Timebanking and the co‐production of preventive social care with adults; what can we learn from the challenges of implementing person‐to‐person timebanks in England?

“…Prevention was made a requirement for social services in England in the 2014 Care Act, but chronic resource shortages have undermined the translation to practice (Bottery, Ward, & Fenney, 2019). One proposed solution is to use low-cost support, such as communities, unpaid family carers or volunteers (McCall et al, 2020).…”

“…Volunteers are currently supporting statutory, private and voluntary sector delivered social care in England through providing peer support, befriending, respite care, counselling, support with administration and fundraising, outreach and advocacy (Naylor, Mundle, Weaks, & Buck, 2013;Paylor, 2011). Usually, a volunteer is recruited and managed by a host such as a voluntary sector organisation or state funded service (McCall et al, 2020). Volunteering is widely credited with positive outcomes for both the provider and receiver of support including improved physical and mental health, improved quality of life and reduced isolation (Naylor et al, 2013;Smith, Drennan, Mackenzie & Greenwood, 2018).…”