Moments of music, companionship, and compassion
National Volunteer Week is April 14 to 20. This year’s theme is Every Moment Matters, and Hamilton Health Sciences proudly recognizes and celebrates the importance of each and every volunteer moment across our hospital sites.
Jinnie Yang, a volunteer at SPH.
Jinnie Yang is a student at McMaster University who began volunteering at Hamilton Health Sciences’ St. Peter’s Hospital (SPH) in August 2023. Her role as a friendly visitor in the palliative care and behavioural health units involves offering meaningful engagement with patients in a positive and compassionate manner.
“Every second I spend with a patient makes a difference, whether it’s just sitting in silence or playing a game together. That’s really motivating.”
Yang chats with patients, listens to their stories, plays games and music, or simply provides some company.
“These volunteers make a significant difference in the lives of patients, providing them with emotional support, companionship and a sense of connection,” says Meg Chalmers, volunteer resources coordinator at SPH.
Inspired to help
“I’ve always been interested in volunteering at a hospital, so I applied through the Hamilton Health Sciences volunteer page,” says Yang. “Meg ended up reaching out to me and gave a little pitch about St. Peter’s, explaining why it’s a great place to volunteer, and I was drawn in right from the beginning.”
“Their resilience and joy despite their circumstances are qualities that I really admire.”
Sometimes Yang sits with patients and just talks with them about their interests, hobbies and family. Other times, she’ll bring them down to the hospital café for a cup of coffee or tea.
Yang enjoys playing guitar for some of the patients she works with at SPH.
Yang says the patients inspire her. “Their resilience and joy despite their circumstances are qualities that I really admire,” she says, adding that one patient in particular stood out to her. “This patient had gone through some serious events, leaving them in a very poor condition. And yet every week I came in, they requested that I help them with their exercises because they were so determined to walk again one day. They would always say to me, ‘You have to keep hoping, never let go of hope.’”
In the palliative care unit, Yang’s compassionate nature shines through as she connects with patients on their end-of-life journey, sharing meaningful moments and intentional engagement. When she is working in the behavioural health unit, she might accompany patients on a walk, or she can be seen showcasing her musical talents by playing her guitar for patients.
Music goes a long way
Yang says her favourite thing to do with patients at St. Peter’s is to play music. “I bring my guitar occasionally and sing a song for them, and sometimes they’ll sing along.”
“Seeing the smiles on their faces when they hear live music being played just for them is something that warms my heart.”
Yang also enjoys hitting the keys now and then in the behavioural health unit at SPH.
In the behavioural health unit, there is also a piano in the sunroom that is available for patients, volunteers, and visitors. “Sometimes I’ll bring a patient in there to sit back and relax while I play the piano,” says Yang. “Seeing the smiles on their faces when they hear live music being played just for them is something that warms my heart.”
Yang is passionate about building and growing relationships with others, and that is exactly what she enjoys about volunteering at SPH. “Whether it’s getting to know the life story of a patient, checking in on them consistently every week, meeting their family, or playing music for them that uplifts their day, it brings me so much joy to see their familiar faces every week.”
Chalmers adds, “Jinnie has proven to be an invaluable asset to the volunteer team at SPH. Since joining us, her presence has had a profound impact on the patients in our palliative care and behavioural health units.”
Aspiring to a career in health care
Yang is currently in her third year at McMaster University studying health sciences. “My hope is to one day become a physician assistant,” she says. “Something that really stands out for me about this profession is lateral mobility, which allows me to specialize in various areas.”
Volunteering at SPH has opened Yang’s eyes to the world of geriatrics, and it’s definitely an area that is now close to her heart. She shares how volunteers in geriatrics, specifically in the palliative care and behavioural health units, improve a patient’s quality of life in numerous ways.
“Research has shown that social interactions can increase the overall mood of a patient and I’ve experienced many of these moments first-hand. Sometimes, all I do is sit and listen to a patient talk about something that’s on their mind, and that in itself brightens their aura.”
A fulfilling experience
An inspiring volunteer experience paves the way for a career in health care.
“In the grand scheme of things, I am always reminded that every second I spend with a patient makes a difference, whether it’s just sitting in silence or playing a game together. That’s really motivating.”
Yang extends recognition to the staff at SPH, saying how they are inspirational. “I recognize that my volunteering is only a small fragment of all the hard work required to continually provide adequate health care to our elderly populations. While I am only at the hospital once a week, I know there are many dedicated people at this hospital who are making an impact in patients’ lives every day.”
For more information on volunteering, visit our volunteer page.
