One day she might sit with a young patient who doesn’t have a parent or guardian present. On another, she might deliver toys to help provide a fun distraction for a child as he waits for a medical procedure.
Linda Lindsey, a retired teacher from Macon, has been volunteering at Atrium Health Levine Children’s Beverly Knight Olson Children’s Hospital off and on since 2018 along with her adult son, Daniel.
Lindsey said she and her son started volunteering after searching for activities they could do together. They discovered the children’s hospital needed volunteers and have been regulars since their first meeting with the hospital’s child life specialists.
“For me as a mom, the volunteer work here is a lifesaver for my relationship with Daniel because it can be difficult to find activities that he loves and where we both fit in together,” she said.
Lindsey said Daniel, who has autism and is mentally challenged, really connects with children.
“Daniel enjoys cleaning the toys and most of all the interaction with nurses and staff. They make him feel special and useful. They give purpose to his life, and I think he brings joy to theirs. He’s very funny, with a dry sense of humor, and he’s always telling jokes. To us, it’s a wonderful match made in heaven,” she said.
For all the joy they bring to the patients, and the help they give to busy hospital staff, Linda said she and Daniel are the ones who really benefit when it comes to volunteering.
“We always get more out of it than we ever give. The child life specialists have become our friends and we look forward to seeing them. The nurses and doctors make us feel really useful and that we’re important to the hospital,” she said. “We love what we do there. It gives me such joy to give back and help where I can. All the people here treat volunteers like gold. I can’t say enough about our local hospital system.”
Atrium Health Navicent offers a wide variety of volunteer opportunities for people like the Lindseys who are looking to make a difference in their community. Volunteers – adults, college students and teenagers – are deployed throughout Atrium Health Navicent’s campuses in Baldwin, Bibb and Peach counties. Opportunities include working in a gift shop or at an information desk, providing customer service or assistance with guest relations, staffing family waiting rooms and lounges, assisting with patient wayfinding and patient safety, patient family advising and more.
“In addition to giving of their time and hearts, volunteers provide an extra level of service that takes patient experience to a whole new level,” said Kenan Hodges, Atrium Health’s patient experience Georgia market leader. “We are incredibly grateful for our volunteers and welcome those who might be looking for a place to serve to join our program.”
Learn more about volunteering at navicenthealth.org/get-involved. Interested volunteers must complete an online application. Once received, further onboarding instructions are sent via email. Applicants must be 16 years old by Sept. 30, 2024. Volunteers receive free parking during their shift, free meals in the cafeteria, a 10-percent discount in the gift shop and a discount at The Wellness Center.