Volunteer Stations

VOLUNTEER STATIONS

I.  INTRODUCTION

Program Description

The Senior Companion Program cooperates with public and private agencies, enabling Senior Companions to fulfill their legally defined responsibility to serve adults with special needs.

A.  Types of adults served:

1.  Adults with special needs include but are not limited to the following:

a.  Frail elderly.

b.  Visually handicapped adults.

c.  Speech impaired adults.

d.  Hearing impaired adults.

e.  Orthopedically impaired adults.

f.  Multi-handicapped adults.

g.  Emotionally or psychologically handicapped adults.

h.  Substance abusers.

i.  Adults with significant health impairments.

j.  Terminally ill adults.

2.  Adults assigned to Senior Companions are over 21 years of age.

B.  Hours of Service

Senior Companions serve 20 hours a week (typically 4 hours a day, 5 days a week). Hours of service are established at the time the Companion is introduced to the volunteer station supervisor.

Meal times are not considered part of the daily four-hour service schedule. However, if a Senior Companion eats with an assigned adult to develop the relationship, mealtime will be considered part of the 4-hour schedule.

C.  Responsibilities of Senior Companions

1.  Confidentiality

Senior Companions receive training in the importance of maintaining confidentiality concerning the clients of the volunteer station.

2.  Appropriate Responsibilities

a.  Establish a trust relationship through giving and receiving friendship.

b.  Assistance with social contacts and interaction with other persons.

c.  Assistance in developing or maintaining contact with family or friends.

d.  Assistance in letter writing, eating, walking and recreational activities such as playing games or cards.

e.  Personal care needs such as grooming, feeding, providing grief support, assisting in reality orientation/awareness.

3.  Inappropriate Responsibilities

a.  Senior Companions are not permitted to perform custodial or housekeeping functions that would normally be performed by staff.

b.  Senior Companions are prohibited from performing activities or duties that would in their absence be carried out by the staff of the volunteer station; for example, secretarial or clerical duties.

c.  Senior Companions may not perform any services or duties that would displace employed workers.

A.  CHARACTERISTICS OF VOLUNTEER STATIONS

A volunteer station is a public agency, private non-profit organization or propriety health-care agency or organization that accepts the responsibility for assignment and supervision of Senior Companions. Each volunteer station must be licensed or otherwise certified, when required, by the appropriate state or local government.

B.  Types of Volunteer Stations

1.  Social Service Agencies: In most cases, social service agencies are multi-purpose organizations with a number of components related to specific community social service.

Examples are:

a.  Public agencies.

b.  Private non-profit social service agencies.

c.  Multi-purpose centers (including senior centers).

d.  Religious groups

e.  Community and civic organizations.

2.  Direct Health-Care Providers: Health-care providers are particularly adept at coordinating service to clients with changeable physical and mental health capabilities.

Examples are:

a.  Acute care hospitals.

b.  Rehabilitation associations and centers.

c.  Public Health departments (including clinics)

d.  Private non-profit health agencies (including clinics)

e.  Visiting Nurses Associations.

f.  Home health-care agencies.

g.  Public and private non-profit mental health agencies and associations (non-residential).

h.  Residential mental health centers, hospitals, institutions.

i.  Nursing homes/convalescent hospitals.

II.  VOLUNTEER STATION ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

A.  Volunteer Station Development of Care Plans

Volunteer stations are encouraged to develop assignments incorporating written plans of care for clients served. A “Care Plan and Letter of Agreement” form must be completed for each client to be seen by a volunteer, signed by the resident and the Senior Companion volunteer. This Care Plan is then mailed to our office and needs to be updated annually by Jan 31 (see Care Plan form).

B.  Volunteer Station and Timesheets

Timesheets are used by the Senior Companion to document the time volunteered, mileage driven and meals eaten. The timesheets are sent to the program office once a month by either the Senior Companion or the Volunteer Station Supervisor. The timesheets must be signed by the supervisor verifying the time (see attached form).

C.  Volunteer Station Participation in Training Events

Senior Companion assignments at some volunteer stations will necessitate training over and above the 40 hour orientation and four hours of monthly in-service training provided by the Senior Companion Program. Senior Companions are required to attend training sessions provided by their Volunteer Station.

D.  Volunteer Station Supervision of Senior Companions

Volunteer stations are responsible for the daily supervision of Senior companions on assignment. The quality of supervision or support is the most critical factor, after the assignment itself, in contributing to the success of the volunteer experience. Supervision should be on-going and constructive. Supervision includes:

1.  Providing regular, on-site supervision of the Senior Companion’s performance on assignments.

2.  Monitoring volunteer activities regularly to assure that Senior Companions and clients are satisfied with the assignment and to determine the continued appropriateness of the assignment.

3.  Referring Senior Companions to project staff for possible reassignment, transfer, or termination.

4.  Carrying out other responsibilities identified in the Memorandum of Understanding, Letters of Agreement, and individual care plans.

E.  Volunteer Station Responsibilities concerning Transportation

Volunteer stations pay all transportation costs for any Senior Companion outreach activities with clients, including field trips, visits to doctors’ offices, hospitals, etc. The Project will not assume these costs.

F.  Annual Evaluation of Senior Companions

The performance of each Senior Companion will be evaluated annually. A formal written evaluation will be discussed with the Senior Companion, the Volunteer Station Supervisor and/or the Program Volunteer Coordinator (see attached evaluation form).

G.  Other Volunteer Station Responsibilities

1.  Assisting in provision of appropriate recognition activities. Volunteer Stations are encouraged to formally recognize the Senior Companions who volunteer at their institution.

2.  Providing for volunteer safety.

3.  Monitoring the volunteer’s well-being and providing support during stressful assignments.

4.  Keeping records as required by the program.

5.  Senior Companions may be provided with one nutritious meal per day by the Volunteer Station when possible. It is not required although Senior Companions appreciate this benefit a lot.

TIMESHEETS

Timesheets and business postage prepaid envelopes are sent to volunteers at the beginning of each month. The timesheets are from the first day of the month to the last day of the month.

Timesheets are completed with the following information:

1.  Volunteer Name and Station at the top of the timesheet

2.  The date is provided.

3.  “D” = the number of hours volunteered

4.  “T” = the number of hours for training, in-service meeting, workshops, conferences, etc.

5.  CAN’T READ THE LINE

6.  “H” = the number of hours claimed for a holiday

7.  “VL” = the number of hours claimed for vacation leave

8.  “SL” = the number of hours claimed for sick leave

9.  “CLIENTS” = SCP Volunteers write the name of the client visited.

10. “ACTIVITIES” = FGP Volunteers write one word describing the activity i.e. “tutoring”, “reading”, “art”, etc.

11. Number of miles driven round trip. If using VanGo or another type of senior center van, please write the total amount paid round trip i.e. $4.00

12. If brown-bagging a meal write “1.” If purchasing a meal, write $2.50.

13. If the volunteer site donates a meal, indicate the number of meals donated that day.

At the end of the month, the Station Supervisor and Volunteer must sign the timesheet and mail it in as soon as possible.

Paychecks are mailed out about 1 week after receiving the timesheet at the office. Paychecks may be picked up at the office if arrangements are made with office staff. The checks are generated by NAU Accounting and they have the NAU insignia on the check.