A shift in the life of a Helpline volunteer

Our 24 hour Freephone Dementia Helpline (0808 808 3000)?is a vital support for people with dementia, their carers & families and the wider community by ensuring that there is always someone there to listen and act when needed, be that day or night.

The Helpline is staffed entirely by a team of?trained and highly skilled volunteer?call handlers.?Their dedication and loyalty are remarkable. There is no 'typical' day on the Helpline?but here, one of our remarkable team shares a shift.

I have been volunteering on the helpline for about 5 weeks. I am a social work student and first got involved during my student placement.?My understanding of health and social care legislation will help inform my practice once I qualify. The experience is also strengthening my key skills like listening, empathy and I'm learning to challenge my own assumptions about dementia and the caring role.?

7.30am:?Wake up, get organised for the day, make sure my laptop is charged and coffee, coffee, coffee.

9am: Log in to the helpline – I am not quite confident enough to do this without the step by step guide but I am getting there!?I have a lovely bright window at my desk which frames a beautiful birch tree and I love it when my cat joins me for a?sleep on my lap.

9.15am: Handover call. I am always amazed by the energy from our volunteers.?They are so interested and engaged in their role, highly knowledgeable and always share interesting things they’ve found out, or seek support for a complex case. Even off duty,?the volunteers are still doing their best to find information for callers. Their dedication is infectious.

10am: The first helpline call comes from a lady who has recently been experiencing memory loss and is very upset.?I ask some gentle questions such as “tell me a little more about what support you get at home?”?This is a useful starting question to unpack the things going on in this lady’s life. The conversation usually flows from here and allows the caller to recognise the help they are receiving and think about other ways they could access help.

1pm: I always try to handover my shift to the next volunteer with the same energy?as my colleagues before me. Without fail the next volunteer is full of praise and confirmation about how I dealt with calls – which is a real confidence boost especially after the call is over and your mind begins to ask, “did I say the right thing?”.Winding down.?A walk or a podcast with a cup of tea are useful after a helpline shift. This gives my mind an opportunity to focus on something else for a while and get on with my day.?