Volunteer Day

Volunteer angels achieve great things in care homes

1400 volunteers actively help to care for the elderly in the state's care centers in Lower Austria - and some of them have been doing so for decades.

Elisabeth Rausch is a very special person - she is the longest serving volunteer in a care home in Lower Austria. She has been helping the full-time staff at the care center in Mistelbach since 1996.

Chatting and playing cards
And even today, the now 94-year-old (!) still comes to the home up to three times a week to chat and play cards with residents or to the handicraft meeting. "Her work brings great joy to the senior citizens who live in the care center," reports the team on site: "It's nice to see how she has grown fond of everyone in the home."

Veteran volunteer Elisabeth Rausch (right) with State Councillor for Social Affairs Christiane Teschl-Hofmeister.(Bild: NLK Filzwieser)

Diversion and warmth of heart
The active pensioner is not alone in her efforts to help the community in the care centers. More than 1,400 fellow countrymen and women - not only on today's Volunteer Day - work alongside the care staff to bring entertainment and warmth to the everyday lives of the residents. Their voluntary work ranges from reading aloud to handicrafts or games, from gardening to helping with meals. Volunteers are also indispensable when it comes to organizing excursions and events.

Information on volunteering: ehrenamt.noe-lga.at