Nina feels that her kind heart and desire to help others were gifts she received from her amazing mother. Her mother always told her that “Friendship is Free,” and she always led by example, showing kindness to others through her actions. Nina remembers her mother pulling out her tattered little phonebook and calling people so they wouldn’t feel lonely. She made a habit of sending sweet cards and letters, even cutting things out of the newspaper, and taking the time to decorate each envelope with brightly colored stickers and little notes of encouragement.
When Nina’s mother’s world became smaller due to age and illness, Nina was heartbroken to see people retreat from her mother. She desperately needed that human interaction that wasn’t a paid-for interaction. Nina observed that as we age we have plenty of interactions with doctors, nurses, and therapists but as important as those interactions are, they are not the same as friendships. Nina reached out on social media and asked people to send her mother cards and letters. Some did, but that time of caregiving for her aging mother had a huge impact on her.
After her mother passed away, she saw a post from a family member in a care facility looking for anyone to call or write to her. Nina realized she could pick up where her mother left off. She began to send letters and cards and even took the time to call a few times a week. When this family member passed away, Nina felt a hole in her life that only helping others could fill. She was at a loss for how to find other seniors in need of personal connection. Then, she saw a news story about Neighbors Who Care and knew this would be the perfect fit.
She joined our team in August and soon started with Welfare Visitations and Respite Care. She is now being requested by clients, showing us that she truly has a gift for this type of volunteer work. Recently, Nina was paired up with one of our clients to become a Friendly Visitor.
Our Friendly Visitor program is designed to help our clients find a long-term friendship with one of our volunteers. These relationships are vital for the mental health of our clients, as research has shown that isolation is the worst thing for us. The Friendly Visiting relationship always starts in the client’s home, but once the client and volunteer feel comfortable, they can do anything they enjoy. Some go out to lunch, others may go shopping or to the movies.
Nina feels she has been blessed with the perfect match in her Friendly Visiting client. She said that on day one, they hit it off with so much to talk about. Nina and her new true friend look forward to their weekly visits. They are now starting to plan activities outside the home. This service is filling a need not only for our client but for Nina as well—that need… friendship!
Some clients might be uncomfortable at the thought of joining our Friendly Visiting program, but this program is by far the one opportunity our volunteers are most excited about. The ability to make new friends, alleviate loneliness, and learn and grow from your time together is truly a gift to both the client and the volunteer.
Nina has been married for 30 years to Tim, an IT Director. Together, they have four grown daughters. Nina has worked as an Assistant Admin, a Construction Engineer, and a stay-at-home mother. She is a lifelong volunteer and hopes to inspire her daughters in the same way her mother inspired her—leading by example and showing all of us that Friendship is Free!
