Volunteers Across Brio Living Services Build Lasting Connections
August is National Wellness Month, and volunteering is a great way to promote health and wellness for yourself and others. According to research at the Mayo Clinic, volunteering, especially for those of us 60 and older, improves our physical and mental health, helps us stay engaged in our communities, nurtures relationships, and gives us a sense of meaning and purpose.
Many of the residents across our Brio Living Services communities actively volunteer. Mary Robertson, Volunteer Coordinator at Brio’s Chelsea Retirement Community, shares her perspective on the importance of volunteering: “It connects us to our communities, fosters empathy, and drives real change. By giving your time and skills, you not only support others, but you also grow personally, creating a legacy of kindness and compassion.”
One of these is Ginnie Hartman, a resident at The Pines in Chelsea, a Brio Living Services community. Ginnie retired after forty years in private practice as a therapist, in addition to working in treatment centers like the Betty Ford Clinic. “I have an extensive background in helping with addictions, women’s issues, group work, and couples,” she says. “I loved it.”
She moved to The Pines to be near her daughter and family who live in Chelsea (she also has a daughter in Italy and a son in Colorado). In 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic, Ginnie began volunteering at the Chelsea Senior Center, offering her time to visit with anyone who needed someone to talk to. “I was available once a week for people to walk in. Many were experiencing anxiety and just needed a place to go and talk. It was good for me, too,” she says.
Since then, Ginnie continues to help with two weekly groups at the Senior Center, including a “Loss and Healing” group, which she co-leads, and one for caregivers called “A Moment for Me” (thanks to an Exhale Initiative grant). “I think our caregivers are the most unsung heroes of our society,” says Ginnie. “It’s a real sense of satisfaction for me to see people be able to share and to let out some of the pain and struggles of caregiving and dealing with grief.”
Ginnie is grateful to have a place where she can still do her work. “I did miss it,” says Ginnie. “This keeps my skills going, and I enjoy it.”
Another is Norm Coffman, a resident at Brio’s Porter Hills Village in Grand Rapids. “I love teaching,” says Norm Coffman who worked as a clinical chemist at a hospital for thirty years and also taught medical technology students. After retiring, he served as a docent at Frederik Meijer Gardens for 14 years.
It’s no surprise, then, that last year, Norm began organizing the Discussions lecture series at Porter Hills Village, where he and his wife, Petrea, have lived for three years.
“It just sort of happened,” Norm says of how the series started. Having learned about art from his mentors at Meijer Gardens, Norm offered a class on “What is Art?”, followed by “Art Styles.”
“To my surprise, I noticed that people started talking about the nature of art and seemed to gain a greater appreciation for the artwork at Porter Hills Village,” says Norm.
He invited Kristen Kimball, Music Therapist at Porter Hills Village and Green House® Homes, to talk about her role, then began inviting his friends to talk about their careers and hobbies. “I wish I could take credit for it,” says Norm. “The credit goes to all the interesting people here at Porter Hills Village.”
The bi-monthly Discussions series has grown from 20 to 60 attendees each session. Norm says, “It’s gratifying to see people talking about the presentations later. We’re a coterie of people that want to support our friends. It adds to the spirit and atmosphere of living at Porter Hills Village.”
Susan Armour of Manchester, Michigan has been volunteering at Chelsea Retirement Community since 2022 when her mother, Marguerite Fisher, moved to the community. “Mom made many friends here,” says Susan. “Before she passed away at 100, Mom made me promise to keep volunteering to keep that connection with her friends.”
“Susan is always willing to help wherever she’s needed,” says April Hurst, Life Enrichment Manager. “She does manicures, makes cakes and door wreaths for residents’ birthdays, plays cello for our residents in Assisted Living, and anything else the Life Enrichment team might need.”
“Half of it is just listening,” Susan says warmly of her time spent with residents—approximately 20 hours per week. “I get great joy out of it.”
Learn more about Brio Living Services and our many opportunities for volunteering.
