Seniors in Service director to speak Monday at Carson City Democratic luncheon
Submitted by Carson Now Reader on Sun, 12/03/2023 - 4:05pm
Event Date:
December 4, 2023 - 1:00pm The featured speaker at Monday's Democratic luncheon will be Michelle Rector, Executive Director of Seniors in Service, a non-profit that engages over-55 volunteers in Northern Nevada communities with its Foster Grandparent Program, Senior Companion Program, and Respite Voucher Program.
The Seniors in Service Foster Grandparent Program places senior volunteers, 55 years and older, in supervised settings within K-12 schools, public agencies, family drug court, and juvenile detention with the goal of helping at-risk kids meet academic standards as well as providing positive intergenerational social interaction. This program is sponsored by AmeriCorps Seniors. Volunteers for this program must meet certain eligibility requirements and pass federal and state background checks.
The Senior Companion program makes it possible for volunteers aged 55 and older to provide basic social support to seniors over the age of 60. The seniors who receive these services generally live alone, need respite care, have limited access to outside resources, and lack social support. Services provided may include taking clients to medical appointments, grocery shopping, running errands, socializing, or engaging in fun activities. For qualifying volunteers, a small stipend is available for services. Transportation reimbursement is provided for all volunteers.
The Senior Companion program is sponsored by AmeriCorps Seniors and the State of Nevada Aging and Disability Services Division. The longest-serving volunteer has given 21 years of service helping community seniors. Forty volunteers have committed to a minimum of 5 hours per week. A little over a third of them contribute 30-40 hours per week. In fiscal year 2018, volunteers provided 48,000 hours of service to the community, an estimated value of $1,220,640 (Independent Sector, Value of the Volunteer Hour, Nevada, 2018 = $25.43). Services were provided to 320 unduplicated clients in fiscal 2018.
Benefits of the Senior Companion program include closer ties to more people, greater satisfaction with life, feeling safe to age in place at home, ability of clients to do more of the things they want to do, having regularly scheduled meals, ability to get to medical appointments, ability to get to the grocery store, and ability to take care of necessary errands and appointments. Volunteers who provide these services make a remarkably positive difference in clients' lives.
Are you a caregiver in need of a break? Seniors in Service sponsors a Respite Voucher Program that helps caregivers take needed and well-deserved breaks. Qualifying individuals can receive a $1000 voucher each year. These funds help pay for an alternate caregiver so the “everyday caregiver” can take some time off. This time off is critical to the health and well-being of both parties. These vouchers are made possible by the Independent Living Grants offered through the State of Nevada Aging and Disability Services Division. Private Donations to help support and sustain this program are also greatly appreciated.
This event is scheduled for 1:00 PM on Monday, Dec. 4, and can be attended either in person at Black Bear Diner, inside Max Casino, or online via Zoom. Michelle's presentation will begin after all the lunch orders have been taken, around 1:30. Those wishing to be on distribution for luncheon Zoom links should contact Rich Dunn at richdunn@aol.com.
- Carson City
- Aging and Disability Services
- AmeriCorps Seniors
- appointments
- Black Bear DinerMax Casino
- Community
- December 4th
- Democratic
- errands
- Executive Director
- Foster Grandparent
- grocery store
- Independent Living Grants
- luncheon
- medical appointments
- Michelle Rector
- Monday
- Northern Nevada
- over-55
- reimbursement
- Respite Voucher
- Rich Dunn
- richdunn@aol.com
- Senior Companion
- Seniors in Service
- State of Nevada
- stipend
- volunteers
- Zoom
