Friday, July 26, 2013
Smart Thinking: Volunteer Ingenuity
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| Calvin Wang is a standout, multi-faceted volunteer. |
Logic is one of Calvin’s greatest strengths. He worked as an engineer for many years,
which helped him to develop solid problem-solving and analytical skills. He adds, “Perhaps my training as an engineer
also fostered a tendency to be more observant.”
These traits are essential as Calvin efficiently solves his Sudoku
number puzzles, but they’ve also added a new dimension of helpfulness to his
interactions with others. Calvin is
evidence of the fact that a volunteer driver always provides much more than
just a ride.
Once, he drove a woman who was very unsteady with her cane. He noticed that she wobbled and looked uneasy
as she moved. Ever the problem-solver, he introduced the concept of the quad cane
to her. A quad cane, he explained, is a
four-footed cane that offers four points of contact with the ground instead of
just one. It provides much more support
and stability than traditional canes. He
proposed to the client that she might benefit from such a device. Although Calvin just planted the seed that
such a switch could be advantageous, he was happy to see the same frail client
using a four-pronged cane during his next ride with her. She had taken his advice and reported a newfound
sense of steadiness and ease as she walked.
On several other occasions, Calvin observed a problem with clients
using walkers. As they attempted to go
through doorways (especially those in their homes), they had to awkwardly turn
their walkers sideways because they were just a tad bit too wide to fit. This made simple tasks, like getting to the
bathroom, challenging. He soon discovered
that the front wheels on walkers are traditionally on the apparatus’s outside
poles. They can be easily removed with a
push/pull button and switched to the inside poles, taking away about 1.5
inches from the total width. With this
quick fix, clients are able to go in and out of doorways without any
trouble. Calvin believes he has completed
this outside-to-inside wheel swap on about four walkers, and each person has
been very grateful for his assistance.
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About Me
- Volunteer Transportation
- “Behind the Wheel” offers stories, reflections, news and updates about Sound Generations’ (formerly Senior Services') Transportation Program. Throughout King County, our inspiring volunteers provide needed mobility to local seniors, supporting them in their efforts to remain independent, healthy, and happy. Please drop by to read more about the unique experiences of our volunteers, clients and staff!
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