Music and Memory Assistant

Carolina Meadows is a nonprofit Continuing Care Retirement Community. Our mission is to enrich and improve the lives of residents and those connected to our community. YOU can play are part in that! 

We offer a continuum of services to our older adult residents who live in Independent Living, Assisted Living, Skilled Nursing Care or Memory Care.

YOU can brighten an older adult’s day and gain real-world experience that will broaden your perspective of what you could do and who you could serve in your future career. If you are pursuing Nursing, Hospitality, Medicine, Social Work, or Music (and the list goes on) consider our volunteer opportunities as way to connect what you’re learning in the classroom with a population of folks who often come from the same professions and have so much to teach us through their lived experience.

If you like learn about different people and cultures, play games or music, listen to and tell stories or share your hobbies or technical expertise, we are the place for you. There’s no limit to the benefits social connectedness and intergenerational relationships can have on you and our residents, especially after this past year of social isolation due to COVID-19.

Main Duties

1. Interview individual residents of the Pines (Skilled Nursing), the Green (Memory Care), or the Fairways (Assisted Living) about their music preferences and memories of music at significant times throughout their lives.
2. Determine the best way to offer resident’s music (headset, streaming app, iPad, computer, etc.)
3. Prepare personalized playlists and load music onto music devices
4. Listen to and discuss the playlist selections with the residents to ensure maximum enjoyment. Adjust if needed.
5. Routinely check that music equipment is properly charged and invite residents to listen to their music.
6. Listen to music with residents. Listening to music together often leads to reminiscing about residents’ fond memories associated with songs.
7. Be a conduit for bringing virtual music performances to residents’ rooms via Zoom or Facetime.

Time Commitment

1. Shifts of 1 to 2 hours with best times of day between 9:30 am to 12:00 pm or 2:00 to 5:00 pm weekdays. Experienced volunteers may come on weekends.
2. Minimum commitment 6 months from completion of pre-screening requirements.

Time Commitment

1. Shifts of 1 to 2 hours with best times of day between 9:30 am to 12:00 pm or 2:00 to 5:00 pm weekdays. Opportunities are available for experienced volunteers on weekends.
2. Minimum commitment of 6 months from completion of pre-screening requirements.

Requirements

1. A friendly smile, patience, kindness
2. Complete a Volunteer Application
3. Complete a Criminal Background Check (online, link emailed by HR)
4. Provide verification of full COVID-19 vaccination (includes a booster). If you have not received a booster, you would have to take a rapid COVID-19 test prior to each weekly volunteer shift.
5. During flu season (October through April), provide verification of flu vaccination
6. Provide verification of TB skin test completed within the last 12 months with a negative result. If you have not received one within the last 12 months, Carolina Meadows will pay for you to receive one.
7. Attend an in-person volunteer orientation
8. Receive an interview

Desired Traits and Qualities

Friendly smile, patience, kindness, compassion, communication. Comfort with technology and familiarity with music devices/apps are strongly preferred. Desire to learn to communicate with residents who may have memory and communication considerations.

For more information and to apply, contact Eileen Ferrell, Volunteer Manager at eferrell@carolinameadows.net.