Support That Supports You: Volunteer Visitors for Aged Care Homes

Funded by the Department of Health, the Aged Care Volunteer Visitors Scheme (ACVVS) provides aged care residents with regular visits from volunteer visitors. These one-on-one connections help reduce loneliness, support emotional wellbeing, and bring comfort and joy to those who may not have regular contact with family or friends.

Supports Accreditation and Quality Standards

Volunteer Visitors help your facility meet key elements of the Aged Care Quality Standards—especially around consumer dignity, choice, and emotional wellbeing. Their presence can enhance care planning documentation and show assessors a proactive approach to reducing resident isolation.

Lightens Staff Workload with Social Support

While not replacing professional care, volunteers provide meaningful one-on-one social interaction that can ease the emotional support burden on care staff—especially for residents with few visitors. Staff can focus more on clinical and personal care, knowing someone is offering residents companionship and attention.

Enhances Resident Wellbeing and Morale

Regular volunteer visits boost resident mood, reduce loneliness, and improve engagement—leading to fewer behavioural issues, less withdrawal, and a more positive atmosphere across the home. Happier residents often mean fewer distress calls and more satisfaction for both residents and staff.

Real Impact in Real Aged Care Homes

Across Queensland, the ACVVS has helped countless aged care residents reconnect with joy, purpose, and a sense of belonging. From residents who smile more and engage in conversation after years of withdrawal, to culturally matched visitors restoring pride in language and identity, the program has brought measurable improvements to wellbeing. Staff regularly report calmer environments, increased resident satisfaction, and a renewed sense of connection in their homes—all thanks to the power of consistent, caring volunteer visits.

Volunteer Visitors
As of August 2023, the ACVVS has expanded to over 18,000 volunteer visitor placements across Australia.
Volunteering Hours
Volunteer Visitors contribute over 200,000 hours to support older Australians through programs like the ACVVS.
Lonely Recipients
An estimated 61% of aged care home recipients experience moderate loneliness, and 35% suffer from severe loneliness.
No visitors
Up to 40% of aged care residents receive no visitors throughout the year. This places a significant emotional burden on both residents and the care staff who support them.

Creating Friendships

The Aged Care Volunteer Visitors Scheme (ACVVS) helps reduce social isolation in aged care home residents by introducing new, personalised relationships that extend beyond routine care. Volunteers bring fresh energy, stories, and interests into the lives of residents, offering variety and stimulation that can reignite hobbies, memories, and cultural identity. These visits often create a sense of anticipation and joy, breaking the monotony of institutional routines.

Connection, Culture, and Care

For residents from diverse backgrounds, being matched with a culturally aligned volunteer can offer not just comfort, but a powerful sense of belonging. In homes where staff are stretched thin, volunteers also help ensure no resident feels overlooked or forgotten—simply by being present, attentive, and consistent.

  • People from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities
  • People from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds
  • People who live in rural or remote areas
  • Veterans
  • Care Leavers
  • Parents separated from their children by forced adoption or removal
  • Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and Intersex people
  • People living with a disability
  • People who are deaf or hearing impaired/hard of hearing
  • People living with cognitive impairment, including dementia
  • People experiencing mental health conditions, and/or who have been exposed to significant trauma

Creating a Calmer, More Engaged Home Environment

Volunteer Visitors don’t just benefit individual residents—they help improve the overall atmosphere of the aged care home. Regular, positive social interaction reduces feelings of agitation, boredom, and frustration among residents, which can lead to fewer behavioural incidents and emotional outbursts.

This calmer, more connected environment supports better outcomes for everyone—residents, staff, and families alike. With volunteers offering consistent social engagement, care staff often find they have more time and headspace to focus on clinical tasks, care planning, and meaningful moments of their own with residents.

Bring ACVVS to Your Home

Have questions about how the Aged Care Volunteer Visitors Scheme can support your residents and team? Whether you're ready to refer someone, request volunteers, or just want to learn more, our team is here to help. Reach out today—we’d love to hear from you.

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QCCN

QCCN (Queensland Community Care Network) is a not-for-profit organisation that delivers the Aged Care Volunteer Visitors Scheme (ACVVS) across South East and South West Queensland, including the Sunshine Coast, Brisbane, Logan, Ipswich, Gold Coast, Dalby, Roma, St George, and Charleville. We are dedicated to improving the lives of older Australians through meaningful social connections and community engagement.

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PO Box 235, Clontarf Beach, QLD, 4019

acvvs@qccn.org.au

(07) 3062 7426

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