Elderly Care Volunteer Program in Argentina - Cordoba
Enjoy the company of older people and want to be an Elderly Care volunteer in Argentina - Córdoba? International Volunteer HQ’s Elderly Care project empowers volunteers to assist in community programs and nursing homes, gaining experience caring for older people. Volunteers will help improve quality of life for those elders who benefit from increased interaction, connection and care, while the local staff will appreciate the helping hand.
Highlights:
- Programs start every Monday
- Affordable fees from AU$479 for 1 week
- Includes accommodation, breakfast and dinner, airport pick up, orientation and 24/7 support
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Spend time with and care for elderly people
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Enjoy Córdoba’s stunning natural beauty
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Stay with a local family & other volunteers in a peaceful neighborhood
Who is this program suited to?
Key information
What to expect and how you'll make an impact
Getting older can bring new and confronting challenges to people living in Argentina - Córdoba. They may face loneliness, a lack of resources or even being abandoned by their families or people who care for them. Local community centres and nursing homes provide safe places for elderly people to receive important care, connection and companionship.
As an Elderly Care volunteer, you will provide social interaction, encouragement, protection and assistance to older people during their scheduled activities, improving their quality of life.
Elderly Care volunteer work can include:
- Helping with daily meals
- Art and craft workshops
- Singing and music
- Yoga and exercise
- Personal care like hairdressing and podiatry
- Professional psychological assistance
- Helping staff with medical care
The project is closed from mid-December until March, and for two weeks in July. Those looking to volunteer during this time will change to a different project.
Why do Elderly Care volunteering in Cordoba with IVHQ?
While volunteering on the Elderly Care project, you’ll be adding value to the local community, while also developing personally and professionally by:
- Providing care and attention to elderly people
- Practicing your Spanish
- Developing your communication skills
- Gaining elderly care experience
- Immersing yourself fully in Argentinian culture
- Exploring the beautiful region of Córdoba
Volunteer requirements
- Volunteers under the age of 16 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian to participate in this program
- Volunteers aged 16-18 are required to provide IVHQ with parental consent and may be asked to provide additional documentation to the local team
- All volunteers aged 13+ are required to provide a criminal background check to IVHQ prior to departure. Those aged 13-17, if unable to obtain a criminal background check, can provide two character reference letters instead
- All volunteers are required to have adequate volunteer travel insurance
Fluency in Spanish is not a prerequisite for the IVHQ Argentina volunteer program, however on some projects volunteer work will be limited by a lack of language ability. We strongly recommend that all volunteers take advantage of the free Spanish lessons offered exclusively to IVHQ volunteers by our local team in Argentina. Past volunteers feel that taking these lessons help immensely with day-to-day volunteer work and communicating with local people. Volunteers interested in taking the free Spanish lessons can arrange these directly with the local team once in Argentina.
Argentina photo gallery
”Volunteering with IVHQ can be an amazing experience if you go in with the right mindset. The elderly care project was much more different and amazing that what I expected. The relationships I formed with those at the elderly home are ones that I will cherish forever. If you can be flexible at this placement and focus on having conversations and building rela...” read more
Aimee Smith, American , 20
Read reviews from Elderly Care volunteers in Cordoba
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Location
In the middle of Argentina, IVHQ’s Córdoba projects are set against the breathtaking backdrop of rolling hills and valleys which surround the city. Córdoba is home to Argentina’s second largest university and hundreds of thousands of students who give it a lively, modern flavour. You’ll find great markets, picturesque parks, pumping nightlife and masses of museums, cathedrals and cultural icons just waiting to be discovered.
Arrival and orientation
After you have registered for the program, please book your flights to arrive at the Ambrosio Taravella International Airport (COR) in Córdoba. Your airport pick-up is included in your Program Fee. We recommend that volunteers under the age of 18 travel internationally with a notarized letter of consent from their parents to support their documentation.
When you arrive, you will be greeted at the airport by a member of the local team and taken to the volunteer accommodation in Córdoba. Your accommodation is covered by your Program Fee and includes the night before your program orientation.
If you are travelling in Argentina prior to your volunteer program, we can arrange for you to be picked up in Córdoba on the day before your program orientation. Orientation is hosted by our Córdoba team and begins on the morning of your chosen start date. It covers everything you need to know for your volunteer program in Córdoba – an introduction to Argentina, culture and customs, rules and expectations, safety, travel opportunities, and an introduction to project and placement. The orientation will also give you a chance to meet other volunteers and swap contact details for weekend travel and socialising.
Volunteer schedule example
First Day
On your first day of volunteering, you will be escorted to your placement by a local coordinator and introduced to the placement staff you will be working with.
Weekdays
Volunteers will have a morning or afternoon shift, which will last around 2 to 5 hours. A typical morning schedule is as follows:
| 7:30 AM | Breakfast at the volunteer accommodation. |
| 8:00 AM | Volunteers travel to their placements to join local placement staff. Start time and daily workload depends on the project that the individual volunteer is participating on. |
| 1:00 PM | Work at the placement usually ends. Volunteers are free to travel back to the volunteer accommodation, go sightseeing, or do some shopping. If volunteers are taking Spanish language lessons, they will usually do this in the afternoon (or in the morning if they are volunteering in the afternoon). |
| 8:00 PM | Dinner at the volunteer accommodation. |
Weekends
Maybe the rhythm of Córdoba’s famous cuarteto music will call to your feet, maybe you’ll forage for a flea market bargain, take a trip to the Che Guevara Museum, adventure in the mountains, try Argentina’s beloved Fernet and Coke or spend your time discovering the Jesuit Block. Maybe you’ll do it all and more, or just relax in a peaceful park and sip a coffee. In any case there’s no shortage of things to see and do during your free time in Córdoba. But if it’s time for a change of scene, Córdoba’s central location means it’s easy to hop on a plane or jump in a car or bus and visit Argentina’s buzzy capital, Buenos Aires, or pay a visit to the Mendoza wine region or the city of Rosario. If the outdoors are your thing, there’s plenty of trekking, mountain climbing, horseback riding, paragliding, and abseiling fun to be had in the Córdoba region and nearby.
Accommodation and WiFi
Volunteers are accommodated in a large homestay in Rivera Indarte, a peaceful neighborhood, 15 - 20 minutes drive from Córdoba airport, and 30 minutes drive to the city centre.
This two-story homestay has great facilities for volunteers, including a barbecue area and a swimming pool which is available in the summer. Bedrooms have single beds and bunk beds and you can expect to share a bedroom with one to three other volunteers of the same gender. Bathrooms with hot showers and western toilets are shared between no more than three other volunteers, and bedding and towels are provided.
Single or double private bedrooms can also be requested at an additional cost of US$70 (approximately AU$103) per week, to be paid to our local team in Córdoba and needs to be arranged prior to arrival. If you would like additional nights of accommodation before or after your program duration, this costs US$20 (approximately AU$29) per night, which can be paid to our local staff and should be arranged prior to your arrival.
WiFi is available for volunteers to use at the volunteer house. You can also purchase a local SIM card with data for an unlocked mobile phone to keep connected.
Meals
Breakfast and dinner are served each day at the volunteer accommodation. Volunteers can buy lunch from the restaurants, bars and food deliveries within a 5-10 minute walk from the volunteer house.
If you have any special dietary requirements, please let us know ahead of time so that we can make arrangements for you. Remember that you should be flexible and open to trying new foods and we will do our best to see that you are well taken care of.
Pricing
Duration |
Program FeeDue 30 days before you start, or within 48 hours if you register inside of 30 days. Covers the cost of hosting you.
|
|---|---|
| 1 week | AU$478 Equivalent to AU$69/day |
| 2 weeks | AU$794 Equivalent to AU$57/day |
| 3 weeks | AU$1067 Equivalent to AU$51/day |
| 4 weeks | AU$1339 Equivalent to AU$48/day |
| 5 weeks | AU$1611 Equivalent to AU$47/day |
| 6 weeks | AU$1876 Equivalent to AU$45/day |
| 8 weeks | AU$2392 Equivalent to AU$43/day |
| 10 weeks | AU$2892 Equivalent to AU$42/day |
| 12 weeks | AU$3334 Equivalent to AU$40/day |
- Accommodation
- Breakfast and dinner
- 24/7 in-country support
- In-country program orientation
- Pre-departure support from your Program Manager
- Airport pick-up
- Personalized preparation tools, guides and check lists
- Access to IVHQ’s preferred insurance and flights partners
- Certificate of International Volunteering
Learn more about what's included in your IVHQ Registration Fee and Program Fee.
- All programs attract a Registration Fee of AU$440 in addition to the Program Fee. This covers all pre-departure support services. IVHQ fees are priced in USD but you may elect to pay in AUD.
- A 5% international banking fee is added at point of payment.
- Additional things to budget for include: Visa, flights, travel insurance (mandatory), vaccinations, criminal background check, lunch, public transport to and from your placement each day and return to the airport when your program finishes.
- Recommended spending money: Volunteers in Cordoba generally find US$80 to be sufficient for weekly expenses, including in-country tours and optional Spanish lessons.
Spanish language lessons
Spanish language lessons are available for all levels. IVHQ strongly recommends taking Spanish lessons as they help you communicate and make a bigger impact in your volunteer placement. Taught by professional Spanish teachers and tailored to each person’s specific needs, the classes run for either one or two hours, Monday through Friday. The lessons are arranged with the local team and paid for at orientation. You can choose from:
- 2 hour, small group lessons (10 hours per week): AU$110 per week
- 1 hour, private lessons (5 hours per week): AU$117 per week
Check what's required to visit Argentina
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Safety and support
IVHQ follows best practice and industry-leading health and safety procedures, which are regularly reviewed and optimized as part of the B Corporation recertification.
- All volunteers encouraged to complete our interactive pre-departure training.
- All local teams trained on best practice volunteer management & First Aid.
- All IVHQ programs are required to adhere to IVHQ's Risk Management Policy.
- All volunteers have access to 24/7 in-country support from our local team.
Protecting against COVID-19:
Volunteers tested for COVID-19 within 72 hours of travel
Health & safety information provided during orientation
Strict disinfecting standards for programs & accomodation
Greater physical distance between volunteers
Essential country information
| Capital | Buenos Aires |
| Population | 45.1 million |
| Languages | Spanish |
| Currency | Argentine Peso |
| Time zone | UTC-03:00 |
Weather and climate
Like its topography, Argentina’s climate varies greatly. The climate ranges from subtropical in the north, to humid in the central regions, to sub-Antarctic in the south. Winter, from June to August, is the driest period of the year. The coldest months are June and July and the warmest month is January. Average annual temperatures in Buenos Aires range from 51°F to 83°F (11°C to 28°C).
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