In the realm of healthcare volunteering, your journey leads to two remarkable settings: the first, an assisted living facility for the elderly, where you'll witness the beautiful intersection of wisdom and warmth. Here, every interaction becomes an opportunity to brighten the lives of those who have given so much to society. The second, a special school for children with disabilities, where each day brings a chance to inspire, uplift, and nurture young hearts filled with potential. 

Your preferences are significant to us, and while we strive to honor them, the dynamic nature of our projects means we can't guarantee specific placements. Yet, rest assured, we are committed to aligning your passions with the ideal project, ensuring your experience is both fulfilling and impactful. 

For those with expertise in Physical Therapy, there's an even more tailored journey waiting. Our dedicated placements are designed to harness your knowledge and skills, allowing you to make a tangible and life-changing difference in the lives of those who need it most. 

This is your invitation to embark on a healthcare volunteering journey filled with compassion, choice, and the chance to create lasting change. Are you ready to begin your adventure?

The Tasks

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.

The Location

Our projects are located in the San José area. Walking or taking the bus is the most effective and cheapest way to get to and from your project. Travel time varies widely from project to project, and volunteers should expect to spend 15-60 minutes traveling each way. Taxis are also widely available. On the first day at the project, volunteers travel on local transport with a Maximo Nivel representative who provides all the necessary information on how to get there and back.