Health TAPESTRY volunteers help extend the reach of our interprofessional health care teams. By visiting the homes of our clients, volunteers can help those teams connect better with at-risk populations. Volunteers may do this by bringing information about clients to the interprofessional team and by helping those teams be more responsive to the needs of their clients. Volunteers also play an important role in supporting clients to meet their goals and assist them with staying healthy longer.
Health TAPESTRY views volunteers as a very important part of a client’s circle of care. They are considered “health connectors,” who help connect clients, the health care system and the community. Health TAPESTRY volunteers are:
- given the opportunity to engage clients according to their abilities, skills and talents;
- trained and supported;
- asked for their feedback to help improve the Health TAPESTRY program;
- involved in a program that improves primary health care locally and across Canada.
Health TAPESTRY is currently not recruiting volunteers at this time.
Health TAPESTRY volunteers are involved in a wide range of activities. No matter what they are doing, our volunteers are working to help people stay healthier for longer by gathering information about clients’ life and health goals.
Some roles and responsibilities of Health TAPESTRY volunteers include:
- visiting clients where they live, along with a fellow volunteer
- gathering information using a tablet and Health TAPESTRY technology, like the TAP-App
- helping clients set-up a personal health record (PHR)
- helping motivate clients to reach their health goals
- connecting clients to community resources
Video Testimonials
Training
Before meeting with clients, volunteers complete training that is specific to their Health TAPESTRY project and local community. This training is offered using a combination of in-person and online modules. Online volunteer training uses the Volunteer Learning Centre (VLC).
Some of the volunteer training topics are:
- Privacy and confidentiality
- Effective communication
- Conflict resolution
- Data gathering tools
- Motivational interviewing
- Boundaries
- Risk management and health and safety
- Mental health
- Health TAPESTRY technology
Even after the volunteers complete the first round of training, they can continue to access online information through the Health TAPESTRY VLC. From time to time, in-person training may be offered to volunteers on new topics or areas of need, even after a volunteer completes their initial training.
Skills Assessment
After completing all their required training, volunteers are asked to show that they have the required skills and knowledge. In most Health TAPESTRY projects, this happens through a brief series of online quizzes in the VLC that asses a person’s skills and abilities. Once a volunteer has passed the quizzes, they are approved as a Health TAPESTRY volunteer and can be scheduled for client home visits.
Volunteer Coordinators
Volunteer Coordinators are a central part of Health TAPESTRY projects. They help organize, support and train our volunteers. They are the main contact when volunteers have questions about the program and they help volunteers identify and reach their own volunteering goals.
A big part of the volunteer coordinator’s role is to build a relationship between volunteers and clients. They arrange the first meeting between volunteers and clients and manage volunteers’ schedules. They also help make sure that everyone understands and agrees to the terms of the Health TAPESTRY program.
Canadian Red Cross Alliance
The McMaster University Department of Family Medicine and the Canadian Red Cross are collaborating on a range of projects, one of which is Health TAPESTRY.
Health TAPESTRY is an exciting initiative developed and led by the McMaster University Department of Family Medicine for which the Canadian Red Cross is providing leadership in volunteer and community engagement. In most Health TAPESTRY communities, the Canadian Red Cross is leading the recruitment, screening, training, scheduling, recognition, and ongoing support of Health TAPESTRY volunteers. In these communities, Health TAPESTRY volunteers are part of the Canadian Red Cross Community Connector Program. In the remaining communities where the lead primary care organization has an existing relationship with a local volunteer organization, the Canadian Red Cross provides expert consultation to that organization as needed to ensure a consistent experience for all Health TAPESTRY volunteers.
Research Findings
Primary care providers are critical in providing and optimizing health care to an aging population. This paper describes the volunteer component of a program (Health TAPESTRY) which aims to encourage the delivery of effective primary health care in novel and proactive ways. As part of the program, volunteers visited older…
Abstract Background In keeping with the changing needs of the Canadian population, primary care systems need to become more person-focused in providing quality care to older adults. As part of Health TAPESTRY, a complex intervention to strengthen primary care for older adults, a goal setting exercise was developed and tested…
BACKGROUND: The Health TAPESTRY (Health Teams Advancing Patient Experience: STRengthening QualitY) intervention was designed to improve primary care teamwork and promote optimal aging. We evaluated the effectiveness of Health TAPESTRY in attaining goals of older adults (e.g., physical activity, productivity, social connection, medical status) and other outcomes. METHODS: We conducted…
Abstract Objectives: The aim of the study was to explore the perceptions of older adults on the implementation and impact of Health Teams Advancing Patient Experience: Strengthening Quality (Health TAPESTRY), a multicomponent primary care programme that seeks to improve care coordination for individuals through health-related goal-setting supported by trained lay…
Abstract Background Many countries are engaged in primary care reforms to support older adults who are living longer in the community. Health Teams Advancing Patient Experience: Strengthening Quality [Health TAPESTRY] is a primary care intervention aimed at supporting older adults that involves trained volunteers, interprofessional teams, technology, and system navigation.…
Abstract Background Increasing the integration of community volunteers into primary health care delivery has the potential to improve person-focused, coordinated care, yet the use of volunteers in primary care is largely unexplored. Health Teams Advancing Patient Experience: Strengthening Quality (Health TAPESTRY) is a multi-component intervention involving trained community volunteers functioning…