Area 10 Agency on Aging Caring Companions

Bryan Park Neighbors,

Mela Hatchett, from the Area 10 Agency on Aging, came to our last neighborhood meeting and spoke to us about their Caring Companions program. Below is follow-up information regarding opportunities in our neighborhood for seniors and individuals with physical disabilities

Regards, Jon Lawrence

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Mela Hatchett <mhatchett@area10agency.org>
Date: Thu, Feb 26, 2015 at 4:52 PM
Subject: RE: Volunteers That Help Seniors At Home
To: Bryan Park <bryanparkna@gmail.com>

Hello Jon,

Thank you so much for inviting me to meet your dynamic group of dedicated neighbors! It was so much fun to hear what you all have and are accomplishing.

Here is the pertinent information from my presentation along with a link to the Caring Companions website for complete details about the program:

“Caring Companions is a volunteer based program of Area 10 Agency on Aging  committed to helping seniors and individuals with physical disabilities to remain independent at home for as long as possible. Since 2010, this program has proven to be a safe and successful way to thoughtfully match volunteers with “neighbors” who desire assistance throughout Monroe and Owen County.

Matches between Volunteers and Neighbors in need are based on information they provide. Each Volunteer is screened through background checks and one-to-one interviews with the program coordinator at Area 10. The Volunteer identifies the services they are willing to provide as well as when and how often they are available to help someone. Each Neighbor who requests help receives a home visit from the program coordinator to clearly identify what kind of assistance they need, how often they need it, and any preference they may have in a volunteer. Once a match is identified, the program coordinator arranges a meeting between the two and personally introduces them to each other, making sure that the Neighbor's needs will be met and that both are comfortable with the arrangement.

With the increase of calls for help, there is a need for an increase of available volunteers. Our ultimate goal is to create a network of volunteers within each neighborhood and to identify one or two volunteers who could assist the program coordinator with the matching process. The advantages would be that the Neighbor's need can be met faster, the Volunteer has a more economical and accessible way to make a positive impact, and it provides a stronger feeling of "home" support that can strengthen the bonds of community throughout the neighborhood.

For more information on the types of services that are being offered, how to make a request for assistance, or how to make yourself available to help out, please visit our website at http://www.area10agency.org/caringcompanions .”

I greatly appreciate this and look forward to working with more of your neighbors in the future!

Mela

Mela Hatchett
Area 10 Agency on Aging
RSVP Assistant Director / Caring Companions / Money Management
631 Edgewood Dr.
Ellettsville, IN  47429
(812) 876-3383 ext. 554