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COAD Programs: Senior Programs
Since 1973 COAD’s Senior Programs have provided volunteer opportunities for individuals age 55 and older. The programs are designed to help older Ohioans find meaningful community service opportunities as mentors and tutors to disadvantaged children and youth, and to other senior citizens who need supportive service to remain in their own homes. Currently over 800 volunteers perform over 450,000 hours of volunteer service each year.
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COAD’s Senior Companion Program has been providing volunteer opportunities to men and women age 60 and older since it’s inception in 1974. The COAD Senior Companion Program was one of the original 18 programs funded Federal Government. The Program currently operates in 14 the following Appalachian Counties in Ohio: Adams, Brown, Gallia, Meigs, Pike, Lawrence, Ross, Highland, Monroe, Noble, Harrison, Belmont, Tuscarawas, Jefferson. Senior Companion Volunteers are healthy older adults who help other adults live independently. They assist with grocery shopping, providing support to family caregivers and with other task of daily living necessary to help their client maintain independence. Without the help of Senior Companions, many older adults would not be able to continue living at home and would need more expensive, less personal care. You don’t need special medical or technical skills to be a Senior Companion. All you need to know is how to be a friend. Senior Companions offer other older adults contact with the world outside of their homes and make their lives less lonely. Along the way, Senior Companions find out that few things feel as good as knowing you’re needed.
COAD Senior Companions serve 16 to 40 hours per week. A small non-taxable stipend of $2.65 per hour is given to volunteers who meet income eligibility requirements. Currently those requirements are 200% of the poverty level. Additional income deductions for medical expenses and length of service can also be used to determine income eligibility. In addition to the non-taxable stipend, Senior Companions receive transportation costs while volunteering, supplemental auto and liability insurances, an annual physical examination, pre-service orientation and monthly educational trainings and the joy of knowing they are making a difference in the lives of the clients they serve. Senior Companion Volunteers are matched with other older adults who need assistance and have similar interests. No Senior Companion is forced to serve in an area they do not feel comfortable with. Senior Companions receive pre-service training as well as monthly training to make them better volunteers. Senior Companion Caregiver Services Many families today are taking on the task of caring for their older family members in their homes. Many times this can create additional burdens and stress for those family members caring for their relative. COAD’s Senior Companion Program provides relief for these family care givers by providing them respite services. By placing a companion in your home to assist families with their care giving role, we can allow you to get out of the home. This may give you time to grocery shop and run other errands, or merely give you time to relax and socialize outside of your home. | Thoughts by Current COAD Senior Companions:
“Without my assistance, the husband of my client who suffers from
Alzheimer’s disease would not be able to leave their home.
With my help as a volunteer he can get away to do other chores and
get some
time for himself.”
“I have volunteered as a Senior Companion
for over 12 years. I needed something to do after my wife passed
away. I like working with
people and keeping busy. I like the program because I help other seniors
in my community and it helps keep my active and healthy.”
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Foster
Grandparent Program Since 1972 the COAD Foster Grandparent Program has been providing meaningful volunteer services opportunities to men and women age 55 years and older working with both children and youth who are in need. Volunteers are placed in a variety of settings such as schools, Head Start Programs, daycare centers, MR-DD programs, juvenile justice facilities, hospitals and libraries. Every day in the communities we serve, COAD Foster Grandparent Volunteers are the people children in need depend on for love, wisdom and support. Foster Grandparents help children develop the skills, confidence and strength to succeed in life. Foster Grandparents make their neighborhoods and communities stronger by helping with special and exceptional needs achieve their goals. COAD Foster Grandparent Volunteers serve 16 to 40 hours per week. A small non-taxable stipend of $2.65 per hour is given to volunteers who meet income eligibility requirements. Currently those requirements are 200% of the poverty level. Additional income deductions for medical expenses and length of service can also be used to determine income eligibility. In addition to the non-taxable stipend, Foster Grandparent Volunteers receive help with meal and transportation costs while volunteering, supplemental auto and liability insurances, an annual physical examination, pre-service orientation and monthly educational trainings and the joy of knowing they are making a difference for the children they serve. COAD Foster Grandparent Volunteers are assigned 2 to 5 children or youth that they will work with as mentors and tutors on a weekly basis. They help children read, tutoring them so that they succeed in school. They work with troubled teens to help them gain confidence and to develop life skills. They work in pre-elementary school programs with preschoolers who need extra help to succeed in their future school endeavors. In addition, the COAD Foster Grandparent Program works closely with our volunteers to help improve the quality of their lives. We assist volunteers with housing issue they may have, we update them on changes in Social Security and Medicare as well as assisting them in applying for prescription discount programs they may be eligible for. We provide opportunities for continuous education through monthly educational in-service trainings, help with getting their high school equivalency diploma and in some areas with free college coursework. Currently the COAD Foster Grandparent Program operates in 17 counties in the Appalachian Region of Ohio. These counties are Athens, Carroll, Harrison, Hocking, Jackson, Lawrence, Morrow, Holmes, Knox, Coshocton, Licking, Richland, Muskingum, Perry, Ross, Scioto and Tuscarawas. If you are interested in becoming a COAD Foster Grandparent Volunteer, or in learning more about participation in this important program contact: In Carroll, Harrison, Tuscarawas,
Belmont or Jefferson Counties: In Athens, Hocking, Muskingum, Perry and Ross Counties
: In Lawrence, Jackson and Scioto Counties: In Coshocton, Holmes, Richland, Knox, Licking and Morrow Counties: The COAD Foster Grandparent Program places volunteers in 46 different non-profit, government and faith-based sites throughout the region who serve children who have special or exceptional needs. If you are interested in having volunteers placed at your school, agency or office contact:
Gary Goosman |
Listen to some thoughts by current Senior Companion Volunteers:
“You could just stay at home, or you could come here and make a difference in the life of a child.” Foster Grandparent Florence Meade
“It amazes me that many of the children I work
with are so creative with just a little extra encouragement that I give.
They
are always there
ready to give a hug or get on in return. It makes me so proud when they
are older and see me on the street and still call me grandma and still
respect me. It program has truly helped make me enjoy my life. “
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In addition to the Foster Grandparent Program and the Senior Companion Program, the COAD Senior Programs Division collaborates with many other partners in special projects aimed at improving the quality of life of those older adults in the region. ABC Coalition The Affordable Benefits Coalition is a broad based action group whose
goal is to enroll income eligible older Ohioan in current prescription
discount program. COAD is working with over 36 partners in Ohio to
help senior citizens in the region get their prescription drugs at
the lowest possible costs. For more information concerning the ABC
Coalition and enrollment in these discount programs you can email mbennink@coadinc.org,
or by contacting the COAD Senior Programs Division at (740) 594-8499.
Medicare Part D: Prescription Drug Benefits Beginning in January of 2005 the Center for Medicare Services (CMS) will be instituting a prescription drug program for Medicare recipients. COAD is partnering with the Ohio Senior Insurance Information Program (OSHIIP) to assist older adults in applying for this new Medicare benefit. COAD will be sponsoring Medicare Prescription Drug Benefit Educational forums in October and November of 2005. These forums will be held in Athens, South Point, New Philadelphia and Zanesville, Ohio. For specific dates and times for these events you may email tnause@coadinc.org or contact the COAD Senior Programs Division at (740) 594-8499. OSHIIP is a service sponsored by the Ohio Department of Insurance for people with Medicare and can be reached at www.ohioinsurance.gov or by telephone at 1-800-686-1578.
RSVP (Retired Senior Volunteer Program)
Contact: Susan Rogers, RSVP Manager Vinton County Citizen Corps Coordinator Mary Lewis, RSVP Manager Athens/Hocking Sandy Shirey, RSVP Assistant for Vinton, Athens and Hocking VISTA at COAD
Chris Zdinak, VISTA Leader
To learn more about service and programs for Older Ohioans you can visit these websites Ohio Department of Aging Department of Health and Human Services: Division on Aging AARP Verizon Foundation continues its support for seniors In 2007 Todd Colquitt, President of Verizon Ohio, presented COAD with a check for $30,000 to create a pilot program that improves the recruiting and training of Foster Grandparents. In August of 2009 Verizon announced it will again fund an expansion of services for the Senior Programs Division. These new funds ($18,000) will improve access to technology for COAD's senior volunteers and create new curriculum for in-service trainings. COAD appreciates the collaboration with Verizon and believes this support will greatly improve the resources available to our senior volunteers throughout southeastern Ohio. Learn more about Verizon's work with literacy... http://www.thinkfinity.com/home.aspx
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Thoughts a Foster Grandparent Volunteer Station:
Thoughts by a Family Member whose mother is served
by a Senior Companion:
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Director of Senior Programs Division - Gary Goosman ggoosman@coadinc.org
Contact the Corporation for Appalachian Development
at (740) 594-8499, or by email at coad@coadinc.org
© 2005, All Rights Reserved, COAD Inc. ®