Whadjuk man Graeme Wood led a productive life – until he suddenly found himself in a nursing home.

A stroke left Mr Wood partly paralysed and forced him to leave his own unit to share a room with another man, with just a cupboard filled with his possessions.

He knew nobody at the home and found himself becoming isolated.

Mr Wood was in need of a friend.

That friend turned out to be a volunteer from Riverview Community Services Aged Care Volunteer Visitors Scheme (ACVVS).

George Lowry, a long-time Perth resident who grew up in New Zealand, said he had been unsure of what to expect … but he needn't have worried.

While Mr Wood was reticent in their initial meetings, Mr Lowry said over time he had seen a positive difference in their relationship.

"Moving into a nursing home can be a very depressing experience for people as they grapple with losing their independence, not seeing familiar faces and dealing with everything new," Mr Lowry said.

"Graeme is no different. He was quite miserable and wanted to be left in his room when I started visiting him. For a social and friendly person that was not good.

"Taking him out for a fortnightly coffee gave him something he could look forward to which in another way gave him hope.

"Hope has a powerful way of leading people out of depression. Every time I see Graeme he is becoming happier. I see it when pushing him through the corridors of his nursing home as he greets residents and staff alike.

"My last visit Graeme was out of his room enjoying a singing concert."

Aged Care Volunteer Visitor Scheme coordinator at Riverview Community Services, Jacqui Lowry, runs the federal government-funded visitor scheme for the southeast Perth metropolitan area and said she doesn't have any Indigenous visitors on her books.

"While Graeme isn't particular about the culture his visitors come from, I can imagine there would be many Aboriginal people who would appreciate a conversation about common interests," Ms Lowry said.

"At another aged care home in Wilson, I have a woman born in Moora who has requested a female visitor from her Country. Recruiting a volunteer visitor for her has so far been unsuccessful.

"I would gratefully meet an individual or an agency member to help match First Nations residents with a visitor with similar background and interests."

Mr Wood has led a varied life, brought up by an aunt near Williams in WA's Wheatbelt region.

At age 15 he was sent to the Wandering Mission, a Catholic mission for Aboriginal boys and girls which operated between 1944 and 1976.

Mr Wood said his first job as a young boy (and possibly his favourite) was learning to be an apiarist - which he thoroughly enjoyed.

On leaving school he became a farmhand working on sheep and wheat farms in the Wheatbelt near Williams.

He said he has been lucky to experience a range of jobs including repairing roads in the Kimberley to truck driving in Perth delivering tiles to building sites.

"Graeme would love more visitors, especially if they can take him on outings," Ms Lowry said.

"There are so many wonderful people in nursing homes who are lonely and depressed because of what they have lost.

"All they need is the hope of seeing a regular friendly face to change their outlook on life.

"And friendship is such an easy gift to give."

Ms Lowry said it was heartbreaking to see older people from any culture sitting in their rooms, day in, day out.

Riverview Community Services was urgently searching for volunteers who could commit to spending some time at least once a fortnight befriending an older person.

The volunteer program has been running for more than 30 years and Ms Lowry said in the time the scheme has been running it has helped to build some solid friendship with volunteers often gaining as much from the experience as their aged care friends.

Last year volunteers made 1560 visits to 24 residential aged care facilities.

The call for help comes after four major Australian aged care providers in June signed an MOU with Aboriginal Community-Controlled Organisation Yokai, an Aboriginal rights and Stolen Generations advocacy group.

The event marked a significant step towards reconciliation and a stronger support system for Indigenous communities.

Yokai chief executive Jim Morrison praised aged care homes who go the extra mile to understand the needs of Aboriginal individuals, especially those who have experienced trauma.

More information about the scheme, including how to register, is available online.