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, Assisted Living Memory Care or Skilled Nursing 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 the social isolation we all experienced 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 1.5 to 2 hours with best times of day between 10:30 am to 12:00 pm or 2:00 to 5:00 pm weekdays. 
2. Minimum commitment of six months of volunteering after pre-screening is complete.

Requirements

1. Complete a Volunteer Application
2. During flu season (October through May), provide verification of flu vaccination
3. 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
4. Complete a Criminal Background Check (online, link emailed by HR)
5. Attend an in-person volunteer orientation
6. Receive an interview
7. Volunteers must have a car to commute to and from Carolina Meadows. There is no public transportation nearby.

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.