By: Robelle Meereboer 

A familiar language, a favourite activity or a few well-chosen conversation prompts can make a hospital room feel less unfamiliar. At Cambridge Memorial Hospital (CMH), volunteers with the Hospital Elder Life Program (HELP) are finding ways to bring those personal connections into care for older adults. 

CMH was the first hospital in Waterloo Region to introduce HELP, an evidence-based program that helps prevent delirium and functional decline during a hospital stay. Volunteers work alongside the care team to help patients stay oriented, active and engaged. Their visits may include conversation, games, a walk down the hall or encouragement to drink water. The team also adapts visits to each patient’s language, culture and interests. 

HELP volunteer Prabhleen Hundal saw the value of that approach while supporting a Punjabi-speaking patient who was new to Canadaorking with CMH Elder Life Specialist Hilary Ferguson, Prabhleen drew on her knowledge of Punjabi language and culture to develop familiar activities and conversation prompts based on the patient’s interests. Speaking Punjabi helped Prabhleen connect with the patient. 

“I could see how these activities brought a sense of belonging, especially to someone new to Canada who had moved here for her family and was now in hospital. That experience can be scary.” 

The experience offered a practical lesson: learn what is familiar and meaningful to the person, then use that knowledge to shape a visit. The adjustment need not be elaborate. Prabhleen has since learned Portuguese phrases to bring to another patient’s visit. What matters is the willingness to listen and adapt. 

“Every volunteer visit is unique as the needs of each patient may change based on their condition,” said Hilary. 

This personal attention supports HELP’s wider goal. A hospital stay can disrupt routines and limit movement and social contact, increasing an older patient’s risk of delirium. Volunteers bring time and presence to the care team, supporting everyday activities that help patients stay connected to their surroundings. 

“It’s not doctors, nurses, and PSWs doing everything—volunteers are part of the care team,” said Dr. Nicole Didyk, a geriatrician at CMH’s Seniors Health Clinic. 

That presence can reassure families, too. Dr. Didyk experienced it when her father was hospitalized and she could not visit every day. He told her the HELP volunteers made him feel supported. She was grateful to know he was not alone. 

For hospitals looking to make volunteer programs more responsive, CMH’s experience suggests a simple starting point: invite volunteers to share what they learn about a patient with a program specialist, then adapt activities together. The purpose of the visit stays the same, while the interaction becomes more meaningful to the person receiving care. 

Prabhleen still remembers a patient who had no family with her and asked only that someone hold her hand. “So I did—and she cried.” Whether through a shared language, a familiar activity or a quiet moment, HELP volunteers show what can happen when care begins with knowing the person. ​