HomeMy WebLinkAboutAgenda - 01-21-1997 - 8g ORANGE COUNTY 1
BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
Action Agenda
Item No
ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT
Meeting Date: January 21, 1997
SUBJECT: Approval of Funding Applications for In-Home Volunteer Assistance to the Elderly
Project
DEPARTMENT Aging PUBLIC HEARING YES NO X
BUDGET AMENDMENT YES NO X
ATTACHMENT(S): INFORMATION CONTACT: Jerry M. Passmore
TELEPHONE NUMBER:
Hillsborough 732-8181
Chapel Hill 968-4501
Mebane 227-2031
Durham 688-7331
PURPOSE: To provide funding for a volunteer in-home assistance project, called"Community
Connections," which will serve those older adults in the county who need, but cannot afford, non-personal
care assistance, such as errands and companionship.
BACKGROUND: It is generally understood that the population of those adults aged 60 and over in
Orange County, as elsewhere, is growing rapidly. Most older adults in Orange County prefer to live
independently as long as possible. As their population grows, so too does the demand for help with in-
home related tasks, such as errands, companionship, mail sorting and reading, and meal preparation or
delivery, that generally delay dependence. For example, if a disabled older adult cannot get to a pharmacy
to pick up her medication, her medical condition may be exacerbated, requiring medical attention, and
possibly rest home or nursing home care. Institutional care is expensive for everyone because government
programs are inevitably tapped. In the same vein, if an older adult has sight limitations, she may have
difficulty reading her mail and may consequently miss utility bills, resulting in their nonpayment and her
heat or water being turned off.
In Orangp County, there are few options_for older adults who need this kind of help but
cannot afford it. Public programs generally restrict assistance to the very poor or to those with personal
care needs, such as bathing and dressing. The help that is available is minimal and costly to the public. The
Department has attempted in the past to provide this kind of assistance; however, at an hourly rate of at
least $10 to provide a trained aide from an in-home aide agency, the costs to the county are high. If
volunteers were used to provide this non-personal care assistance, it would save the county dollars and
available funding could be targeted to those with greater needs.
Currently, there is no coordinated system of volunteers for this purpose in the county. The
University and area churches have small programs, but they are limited by such factors as student schedules
2
and congregation size. Eldercare Program staff have been frustrated by not being able to utilize those
persons who call the Department wishing to volunteer in the homes of older adults. With no coordinated
means by which to screen,track, and recognize such persons it has been senseless to assign duties to them.
The proposed project would utilize volunteers to meet the non-personal care needs of older
adults in the county, thus saving public dollars and making help available to those persons who cannot
afford to pay for it privately. The project will engage 50 volunteers and serve 50 clients in its first year. The
Department's full-time Eldercare Specialist will oversee the project, and train and supervise the proposed
volunteer project coordinator. Training of volunteers will occur through the use of a manual created by
Eldercare Program staff, and a video, both covering topics pertinent to those working with older persons.
Volunteers will be screened and will serve a probationary period. Evaluation will include yearly satisfaction
surveys of both clients and volunteers, as well as a check-in call to each client after the first three months
of service. Volunteer tasks and hours will be tracked. Volunteers will be recognized in various ways,
including"Volunteer of the Month" awards, and yearly appreciation teas.
Requested grants would fund at different amounts. $4800 is being requested from the
Triangle Community Foundation, which would include $1680 for recruitment and training materials, and
$3120 for a 10-hour-per-week stipended volunteer coordinator position. $1,000 is being requested from
the Chapel Hill Newcomers' Club. This amount would fund only material costs and would require a scaled
back version of the Triangle-funded project because of the lack of a volunteer coordinator. Future funding
would be elicited from these same organizations as well as others.
Recommendation: The Manager recommends approval of funding proposals by the Eldercare Program of
the Department on Aging to the Triangle Community Foundation ($4,800) and to the Chapel Hill
Newcomers' Club ($1,000)for a volunteer in-home assistance project.
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