‘I’ve been so blessed’
60-year hospital volunteer is testament to the health benefits of helping out
Key takeaways:
- Cathy Bott, a 60-year hospital volunteer in Danville, Illinois, is an example of the physical and mental health benefits of volunteering.
- Physical benefits include exercise. Mental benefits include human interaction and the feeling of making a difference.
- Call the OSF HealthCare hospital or other community organization near you for volunteer opportunities.
Even at age 90, Cathy Bott has no problem rattling off all the things she’s done in 60 years of hospital volunteering in Danville, Illinois: switchboard, gift shop, fundraising events, bringing cards and food to patients and checking on patients who signaled they needed medical help or just wanted to talk.
“We used to do baby pictures for mothers. We’d ask if they want pictures of their new babies,” Bott says, recalling another favorite pastime.
Bott started helping at Saint Elizabeth Hospital in Danville. When that hospital merged with the facility that is now OSF HealthCare Sacred Heart Medical Center, Bott, aside from some breaks to deal with family matters, didn’t miss a beat. Today, she stops by OSF Sacred Heart on Fridays to give communion to patients who ask for it.
“I’ve been so blessed. I get more out of it than I give,” Bott says.
The benefits
Count Mia Harrier among those who marvel at Bott’s longevity and dedication. The program manager for community health at OSF Sacred Heart works with the hospital’s volunteers. She sees every day the health benefits to the helpers and the patients they serve daily.
“Our volunteers are a vital part of our team. They certainly do brighten our patients’ days,” Harrier says.
“Volunteers have a lot of [physical] steps they take in the hospital. Some have shared that they use step trackers, and they will get in a couple thousand steps per day,” Harrier adds, highlighting the physical benefits of volunteering. “They push patients in wheelchairs. They push the comfort cart. There are cleaning activities. It is a good way to keep moving.
“When it comes to mental health for our volunteers, they get to exercise something that feels really good,” Harrier says. “It feels good to your heart and your mind. It gives you things to be grateful for on a regular basis. As you interact with patients and learn their stories, you find yourself in a place where you’re displaying a lot of empathy and feeling like you’re able to do something good.”
Harrier also points out that older adults may not leave the house and get to talk to others often. Volunteering allows them to check both boxes.
Get involved
Whether young or old, Harrier and Bott encourage you to look into volunteer opportunities in your community. You can call the OSF hospital near you to ask about helping there.
“It’s such a fulfilling thing to do. There are so many areas to help. I wish I would have done other things,” Bott says. “What you put into it is what you get out of it.”