Yvonne Seymour has been brightening up people’s lives for 30 years!
The 83-year-old Uniting AgeWell volunteer briefly flirted with the idea of retiring but thought, “No way! I’ve still got so much to offer.”
So instead she opted for the Chat-a-Ring Social Connections Program where she chats to older people over the phone rather than visiting them at their homes.
The outer eastern suburbs’ resident has volunteered with Wesley Do Care, the Uniting Church and Uniting AgeWell since the age of 53 and says it has taught her so much about life – and herself!
“I’m a people person,” says Yvonne. “I love talking to older people, listening to their stories and finding out about their lives. It is a privilege to go into their homes and have a cuppa with them. It gives me great joy to be able to make a difference to their lives.”
And she does. In spades! “It’s wonderful to feel appreciated,” adds Yvonne. “The older people I speak to are so grateful for my company, it makes me feel like a million dollars.”
Yvonne says volunteering also increases her general knowledge. “I chat to people about all sorts of things – travelling, gardening, you name it. It certainly broadens my outlook.”
She’s grateful to have time on her hands to volunteer after years of working and raising her family. Yvonne lived in the Glen Waverley area and started her career doing dress making with Myer in Melbourne. She worked as a nanny but never forgot her sewing skills.
“I sewed my daughter’s wedding dress, her three bride’s maids’ dresses as well as my own, and it was such a big job that I haven’t sewn anything else since!” she laughs.
Yvonne, who has two children and five grandchildren, says she’s blessed to have good health and a sharp mind. She attributes her good health to walking her beloved cavoodle, Rosie, every day.
Her husband, Bruce, passed away nine years ago – they were married for 56 years and she lives by the motto he used to shape his life: “Surround yourself with people you love and things that you love.”
Find out how to become a volunteer with Uniting AgeWell today by phoning 13 93 75 or emailing [email protected].
Celebrating our volunteers in 2024