Healthcare Volunteering in Costa Rica

olunteer at an assisted living facility for elderly adults or HIV patients, or a facility for disabled children.

Healthcare volunteers are typically placed at an assisted living facility for the elderly or at a special school for children with disabilities. If you have a strong preference we always do our best to accommodate you, however please note that due to availability and seasonal needs at our projects, we cannot guarantee any particular type of facility. We do have specific placements available for those with Physical Therapy training.

As healthcare volunteers, participants directly assist project staff with day-to-day care work with a central focus of providing general care and companionship to patients.

At adult assisted living facilities, they may be asked to:

• Plan arts and crafts, make conversation, engage in talk therapy
• Accompany patients on walks
• Sort and/or distribute medicine
• Change beds
• Feed and bathe patients
• Ensure patients’ overall well-being
• Help with administrative work and filing

Please be especially aware that conditions can be emotionally trying. Volunteers should prepare themself mentally and emotionally to work one-on-one with terminally ill patients.

At facilities for children with disabilities, volunteers may be asked to:

• Act as a classroom assistant and help run activities
• Provide additional attention and care to the children
• Work with one classroom or area of the school throughout your program
• Help organize arts and crafts, play with the children, assist with physical therapy
• Assist the children during meal times

Participants are always supported by Maximo Nivel’s in-country coordinators but they are not on site at the project every day, so independence and leadership is important.

Physical Therapy volunteers should be aware that the local practices they join have limited resources. Therapy methods may be very different from those considered standard in their home country. They work in an underfunded facility for patients with mobility problems, assisting with and/or shadowing a professional physical therapist. Placements can involve treating adults or children. Their experience, qualifications, and Spanish level determine how much hands-on treatment they deliver to patients.