Do you live in or near the South Shore and have a few hours a month to share?  Our South Shore Elder Services Volunteer Program invites you to join our extraordinary group of nearly 400 volunteers making a difference in the lives of our seniors and their families. Look over our Friendly Visiting, Money Management, Meals on Wheels, and Ombudsman Programs. We offer individual, corporate, group and event volunteer opportunities.

Why Volunteer? According to the National Family Caregivers Association, family caregivers provide 78% of all care to elders in this country. The Family Caregivers Association reports that more than 65 million Americans are now caring for aging parents, spouses or other loved ones and provide an average of 20 hours of care per week.   Of these caregivers, many are employed and more than half work full time, according to the Family Caregiver Alliance. As they attempt to juggle the demands of their dual roles, they often need support to help alleviate stress, burn-out, discouragement, confusion, and family tension. There are numerous ways in which our volunteers play a significant role in supporting elders and their caregivers.

Friendly Visitor Program: Caregivers often need assistance reducing the isolation of a loved one. Our Friendly Visitors provide weekly social visits bringing the outside world to our homebound elders through fresh conversation and new activities. Our volunteers are attentive, empathetic listeners, affirming the consumer as a valued and respected member of the community.

How do these visits benefit the caregiver? Caregivers really need some time off to rest, relax, and regroup. One or two hours a week of respite makes it possible for our caregivers to attend to their own needs, thus lowering stress and reducing the risk of burn out.

Money Management Program: What if the caregiver lives at a distance and needs someone to help a loved one manage their bill paying? Our Money Management volunteers assist elders and younger disabled with monthly financial tasks, such as paying bills, balancing checkbooks, and preparing monthly budgets. This results in tremendous relief for both our consumers and their families.

Meals on Wheels Program: Our volunteers deliver nutritious meals to consumers in their communities, Monday-Friday.  Caregivers can take time off from daily meal preparation, and gain a peace of mind knowing that someone is regularly checking in on their loved one at mid-day. Our volunteers largely include individuals however schools, training centers and businesses are now successfully organizing rotating teams of volunteers. We are always looking for new community partners to “adopt a route” and deliver meals in their communities. It is our mission that no one goes without a meal.

Ombudsman Program: Ombudsmen are volunteers who check in on residents of long term care facilities to advocate for them and be sure their rights and needs are being respected. Imagine living at a distance from your loved one in a facility and not being able to check in on them regularly. This program provides volunteers who are trained and certified to be their voice.

The volunteer landscape is changing. Individuals, businesses, schools, and faith-based groups are seeking long and short term opportunities. In increasing numbers, volunteers are younger and employed individuals who have grown up learning about service to others and are now exploring how to use their talents in their own community.

We welcome you to make a difference in someone’s life as well as your own and become part of our community of volunteers. For more information about how you or your organization can volunteer, please visit our website at www.sselder.org or contact Jody Hodgdon at South Shore Elder Services, Inc., at 781-848-3910, ext. 430. You can also email Jody at jhodgdon@sselder.org.

“The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others.”   Ghandi

Jody Hodgdon is a graduate of Northwestern University, and completed graduate studies at Boston University. She has been the Volunteer Coordinator at South Shore Elder Services since 2006.

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