1997 S Aging - Approval of Funding Applications for In-Home Volunteer Assistance to the Elderly Project

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Community Connections Proposal afford to pay for it privately.The mission of this project, which we are calling, "Community Connections," is to maximize the independence of older adults and prolong the time they are able to remain living at home. Volunteers will provide services such as companionship and safety oversight, running errands to the grocery store, pharmacy), accompanying older adults on outings to (e.g.,C7 0 (e.g.,Z_n doctor's appointments), yard work (e.g., raking, trimming), light housekeeping (e.g., sweeping, removal of trash), assistance with correspondence (e.g., bill paying, letter writing, sorting mail), and meal preparation or delivery. Volunteers will be required to devote at least two hours every two weeks to the program, or they can participate in a one-time project. Within the first year, the project will serve 50 clients and engage 50 volunteers in service. Volunteers will be recruited through the Retired and Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP); Volunteer Orange, a local volunteer agency; UNC-CH student groups and human service-related schools. Fliers advertising the project to potential volunteers and clients will be posted at senior center sites in the county, UNC-CH sites, public libraries and other public buildings. Advertisements will be placed in the Department on Aging's Senior Times and in local newspapers, including the University's Daily Tar Heel, and public service announcements will be conducted on local radio stations. Organizations offering similar but limited services will be contacted regarding their interest in collaboration and to elicit referrals. In addition, Department staff will spread the word about the Program in their activities across the county. For project screening purposes, three reference checks will be conducted for each volunteer, and each volunteer will serve a three-month probationary period. Training will involve providing each volunteer with a"Community Connections" manual, created by Eldercare Program staff, that includes at a minimum, guidelines for volunteering, suggestions of activities or topics of conversation to engage in during visits, and general information about the aging process and older adults. Also, all volunteers will view a video that covers such topics as the psychological, sociological and biological aspects of aging. Confidentiality guidelines will be reviewed with each volunteer and a signed statement of understanding of all guidelines will be obtained from each volunteer. In the initial year(s) of the program, volunteers will be trained individually; as the number of volunteers increases group training sessions will be initiated. 0 1-7 Volunteers will be - in various ways. A volunteer of the month will be chosen according to hours volunteered and/or testimonials provided. Regular brief mailings of encouragement and appreciation will be mailed to volunteers. Magnets and tote bags will be used for recognition awards. By the second year a recognition tea will be held for all volunteers. Project Evaluation Factors to be used to evaluate the project will include to what extent the client perceives that the service helps them meet their needs, how many clients are being served, and how many clients are institutionalized during the course of the program. Clients and volunteers will receive yearly satisfaction surveys. In addition, the volunteer coordinator will contact each client after his/her first three months of service to inquire about their satisfaction. Volunteers will be responsible for reporting their hours to the volunteer coordinator, who will complete a monthly report including such information as types of tasks completed, and total hours volunteered. Project Timetable The project would begin to be advertised in mid to late August of this year; at the same I time, training and other materials will be developed. Volunteer assignment will begin by late