Benefits of Volunteering

There are a lot of moving parts to make a hospital run smoothly. When you think of those that work within the hospital walls you might think of the nursing staff, doctors, social workers or the nutritional team. But there is one team that makes a big impact on patient care—Volunteer Services. Volunteers at Saint Agnes Medical Center play a vital role in serving patients by filling in essential care needs that allow clinical staff to provide top-notch care.

Volunteering at Saint Agnes first started in 1953 when four friends got together over a game of bridge and began discussing ways they could help the then Saint Agnes Hospital. Today, Saint Agnes is honored to be supported by the ever-growing number of community members who volunteer to serve our patients every day. Volunteering in the community can be immensely gratifying, but the payoff can also boost your own well-being more than you realize.

Volunteering can have a positive impact on your health

A growing body of evidence suggests that volunteering is good for your physical and mental health in numerous ways. A study done by Voluntas, analyzed 28 studies on the social, mental, physical and general health benefits of volunteering (mostly among older American adults). It found that volunteering helped people live longer, increased their physical activity, and improved their general health, well-being and quality of life, along with their psychological well-being.

Volunteering also may help your heart health. An Innovation Aging study—which tracked the blood pressure of 18,847 people participating in the Health and Retirement Study from 2006 to 2016 who were on average age 66—found that those who volunteered at least 200 hours over 12 months, or roughly four hours per week, were less likely to develop high blood pressure, compared with those who didn’t volunteer.

Volunteers impact the lives of our patients 

Volunteering can also just make you feel good. “I think volunteering can be transformative for both patients and us volunteers. We’re meeting patients at very vulnerable moments, so it’s important that we’re able to really care for them in those moments by offering them some kind words,” says Safaa Umar, Saint Agnes Volunteer (Patient Escort).

“But also, the way patients go out of their way to show care to us also reflects that reciprocal relationship, they’ll ask us how were doing and we really do help ourselves in those moments too.”

Gain insight to different areas of the hospital

Although you are giving of yourself, volunteer work shouldn’t be entirely selfless. To help ensure that you stick with it, consider how many hours per week or month you’re willing to devote. In addition, look for an opportunity that sounds fun and that is a good match for your interests and abilities. This approach has worked well for many volunteers.

“If volunteers find themselves no longer interested in their current department, we can try out a new department for them to keep their interest up,” says Brandon Miller, Saint Agnes Manger of Volunteer Services. “Just like schooling and work, sometimes a break or vacation is needed. Volunteers are more than welcome to take time off when they feel they need it,” Miller says.

Emotional well-being through pet therapy

Saint Agnes offers volunteer opportunities across different departments of our hospital. Our Heavenly Hounds program is a pet therapy program that brings trained, certified therapy dogs into the hospital to provide comfort and emotional support to patients, visitors and colleagues. 

With every wagging tail and gentle nuzzle, our compassionate canines help create a more healing and heartwarming environment. Watch the video below and meet Gina, one of our dedicated volunteers who works with Saint Agnes Heavenly Hounds and discover how her love for animals and passion for helping others makes a different at our hospital, every day.

Volunteer at Saint Agnes

There are so many opportunities to make a difference at Saint Agnes—learn how you can volunteer with us and contribute to a compassionate environment that fosters healing.

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