Volunteers are critical to our ability to support essential programs for seniors in Central Oregon
Bend, Ore., Apr 12, 2022 – The Council on Aging of Central Oregon is seeking volunteers interested in helping support seniors. We need Meals on Wheels drivers in Bend and individuals interested in helping us connect volunteers with isolated tri-county seniors over the phone or in-person as part of our Caring Connections program.
Our Meals on Wheels program enhances the quality of life of home-bound individuals by providing home-delivered nutritious meals, personal contact, and related services. It offers nutrition risk screening, nutrition education and nutritious meals for persons 60+ who are homebound because of illness, incapacity, disability, and lack of family support.
“Volunteers play such an important role at the Council on Aging. Today, we are looking for caring, compassionate volunteers to help us connect with local seniors in need,” said Susan Rotella, Executive Director of the Council on Aging. “We couldn’t do what we do without the many dedicated volunteers helping keep our programs running in Central Oregon – they are the heart of our agency.”
Our Caring Connections program matches volunteers with seniors who would appreciate a weekly phone call or visit and camaraderie. The special relationship that can develop between a client and a volunteer enables the client to have greater social interaction to maintain healthy, independent living. Volunteers can be from any town in Central Oregon.
We welcome anyone 18+ to help us fill these critical roles:
- Caring Connections Phone Volunteers: We provide training, have an easy to use phone app to help volunteers connect with their senior. Your simple weekly phone calls mean the world to seniors who do not get regular contact with others. For some seniors, you may be the only person they talk with that day and you can help reduce their feelings of social isolation. The Caring Connections program is expanding to enable in-person visits between volunteers and clients.
- Meals on Wheels Drivers: We have multiple open positions to help deliver meals and a welcome smile to home-bound older adults in Bend. A weekly commitment for one day during the week is asked. We are seeking support for any day of the week, and meal deliveries can happen anytime between 10:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m. We are following strict COVID-19 safety protocols, and all volunteers must be fully vaccinated.
“We feel like we’ve become friends. Roberta has just been delightful to talk to, and we found a lot in common and yet a lot of differences. But it’s nice to share and learn things from other people,” stated Joan, a Caring Connections participant.
If you are interested in volunteering for these important roles at the Council on Aging, please contact Marianne McClure at Volunteer@councilonaging.org or call (541) 678-5483. She’d love to hear from you!
For more information about resources for older adults and their unpaid caregivers, call the Council on Aging at (541) 678-5483, visit the Council on Aging website at www.councilonaging.org, and follow the Council on Aging’s Facebook page at www.facebook.com/CouncilOnAgingOfCentralOregon.
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About the Council on Aging of Central Oregon
Since 1975, the Council on Aging has served as the designated Area Agency on Aging for Deschutes, Crook, and Jefferson counties, offering adults aged 60 and older and their loved ones a range of support services. A non-profit organization, the Council on Aging advocates for, empowers, and guides older adults and their loved ones to live with independence and well-being in age-friendly communities — places where infrastructure, policies, and practices are developed to make the community livable, accessible, and responsive to the needs of people of all ages, especially older adults.
Phone: (541) 678-5483
Website: www.councilonaging.org
Facebook: www.facebook.com/CouncilOnAgingOfCentralOregon
Media Contact
Emma Fried-Cassorla
Director of Communications
Council on Aging of Central Oregon
(541) 678-5483
