Being Present Gives Seniors a Boost

Meet Daily Point of Light Award honoree Jon Nichols. Read his story, and nominate an outstanding volunteer or family as a Daily Point of Light. 

Jon Nichol’s grandparents have always been a big part of his life. Through his time with them, he recognized how much his presence made a difference in their daily lives. Seniors often feel the effects of isolation when they live far from family or have mobility issues that keep them at home.  

A year ago, at 30 years old, Jon moved from his home state to Greenville, SC. He works remotely with his two “secretaries,” cats Callie and Benito, doing regulatory work on electric and gas utilities for a consulting firm. As he began building his life in his new home, he wanted to bring joy to others in the way he had been for his grandparents. 

He responded to an ad for an Adopt a Senior Friendly Visit Hospice Volunteer with Providence Care and, alongside his ice hockey games, he added visits with residents of local care homes to his weekly schedule. Not only do seniors look forward to seeing him, but visits have become a cherished part of Jon’s weekends and something he and his fiancé can do together, highlighting the value in human connection. 

What inspires you to volunteer? 

I grew up in a small family, and I spent a lot of time with my grandparents. They played a significant role in my upbringing and had a profound impact on my life. I had a deep sense of gratitude for the time we spent together and the values they taught me—compassion, selflessness and generosity being some of those.  

As they aged, I became their caregiver in many ways. That experience opened my eyes to challenges faced by aging. When my grandfather passed away, we moved my grandmother to assisted living, and I made a point to engage with other residents. A simple conversation or bringing them flowers could give them so much joy. That got me interested in volunteering, specifically with seniors.  

When I moved, I found myself wanting a volunteer role that involved that population, because I knew I could make a difference in their lives. Since I wasn’t able to visit my grandma as often, I wanted to get involved in some way. So I did a quick internet search and saw an opportunity with Providence Care.  

Tell us about your volunteer role with Providence Care. 

I volunteer most weekends with my fiancé. We usually visit the same two to three seniors. That really allows us to develop a relationship with them and sometimes even with their families. Whatever I do to bring a smile to their faces, my fiancé multiplies that by 10.  

Each visit, we go to these assisted living facilities and visit residents for 30 minutes to an hour. There are two goals. One is to make sure the senior is physically and mentally doing well, and there are no new or concerning medical symptoms that need to be passed along to staff. The second is to brighten their day.  

What’s been the most rewarding part of your work? 

I think the most rewarding part is getting to know them and hearing their stories. A lot of these seniors have lived through really incredible times, and they have amazing stories to tell. They just need someone to be there and to listen. I also enjoy making them laugh. It really feels like I’m having an impact.  

What have you learned through your experiences as a volunteer? 

We talk to them a lot about what their favorite memory or food or hobbies are, because it always sparks conversation. Doris, one of the first seniors we visited, was a sweet lady with a quick wit. When we asked her where she was from, she would say, Joy-zee (New Jersey). She always told us she was a Joy-zee girl. 

We learned that she loved horses and used to work at a track. Providence Care then coordinated a visit for her and other residents from the facility to visit a horse farm based on that information. I was able to go, and Doris’ son was there as well. It was a great experience spending time with the horses. Sadly, she passed shortly after that. I was glad we were able to bring her joy towards the end of her life.  

We learned that another resident was formerly a nurse, and she loved nursing. Providence set up a celebration of her nursing career and brought some nurses in for a small ceremony. They do things like that for veterans as well.  

Is there something people should know about your role, or hospice in general?  

Working with seniors really just takes a simple act of kindness. You don’t have to be a great conversationalist, a medically trained professional or a comedian. You just have to be there to listen and make them feel valued. That appreciation and resulting joy is immeasurable. Isolation impacts their physical and mental health. Spending time with them goes a long way in sustaining their health and making their experience more enjoyable.  

The second part of working in the hospice area is that you quickly see that the staff is generally overworked and under-resourced. That’s probably true in the medical field in general but especially in elderly care. Your visits also benefit staff and even the families that might not be able to be there as much as they would like.  

Any advice for people who want to start volunteering? 

Volunteering is about figuring out your sense of purpose or where your passions lie—the environment, food drives, clothing insecurity, etc.—and trying to gain perspective on what people in your community are going through. Then, it’s a matter of figuring out how you can make a positive impact on them.  

What do you want people to learn from your story? 

The generation of seniors now has given so much to our society. We have a societal duty to give back to them during their greatest time of need. A simple act of kindness can transform an older person’s day and improve their quality of life. 

Do you want to make a difference in your community like Jon? Find local volunteer opportunities.