News
Homefront Looking For Volunteers To Visit Elderly Clients
Homefront Health Care is looking for volunteers to provide companionship to hundreds of home-bound seniors throughout the state.
Through a Rhode Island Foundation grant, Homefront has launched a new Volunteer Program that will provide weekly visits to some of its 800 elderly clients. The volunteer program is designed to help combat the social isolation that often affects home-bound seniors.
"One of the biggest concerns with home-bound clients is isolation, especially for those clients who do not have relatives nearby," explains volunteer coordinator Joan LaPlante. "That isolation can easily lead to feelings of loneliness and depression, and can negatively impact their health. Weekly visits, even if they are just for an hour, can really make a difference."
Homefront is one of the largest home care agencies in Rhode Island, making more than 3,000 visits a week. It provides high quality, comprehensive home health care through a team of nurses, therapists, CNAs, homemakers, social workers and companions.
The Homefront staff has identified clients who would most benefit from the volunteer program.
Volunteers will be matched with one of Homefront's clients based on common interests, location and other factors. Volunteers will be asked to visit the clients in the client's home once a week.
Once accepted into the program, Homefront will provide volunteers with a two-hour training session. The training will include program expectations, emergency procedures and other information to help prepare volunteers for their new role. Volunteers also will receive suggestions on how to engage with the client, including doing puzzles, playing cards, crafting or scrapbooking.
"It really isn't a large time commitment and can make a big difference in someone's life," LaPlante added. "It can be very rewarding for the volunteers as well."
For those interested in volunteering, Homefront will hold informational meetings at its office locations throughout the state (see schedule below). Volunteers are required to fill out an application, provide two references and complete a criminal background check. Volunteers must be 18 years old or older.
For more information, contact Joan LaPlante at 751-3152 or visit www.homefront.org.
Opened in 1966 and accredited by the Joint Commission, Homefront has offices in East Providence, Harmony, Providence, Warwick, Westerly and Woonsocket.
Homefront Volunteer Program
Informational Meetings