Willing Heart, Helping Hands is a new volunteer-based program dedicated to helping older adults by visiting their homes and supporting their caregivers and the work that they do.
This flexible program asks for any amount of time that can be spared to help these people with what they may need, such as getting groceries once a week, spending time with them or even just giving them a friendly phone call to check-in and see how they’re doing.
“Volunteers will be caring for people who may be at the most difficult moment in their lives. Make the biggest impact that you can; you may not need to do much to do that,” Rachael Shields, the program coordinator, said. “This will be a gratifying experience for everyone involved.”
Willing Hearts requires their members to go through nine hours of training in order to make them feel confident working with aged adults. Six hours are devoted to learning how to make the most of their relationship with the individual and special issues with older adults such as safety issues. Dementia training is even available if necessary.
The other three hours are for training through the American Red Cross and other partners for first aid affiliated with Willing Hearts.
Helping Hands is currently outstretching their services to Queens and Western Nassau communities and will have its premiere on November 19 at the Parker Jewish Institute for Health Care and Rehabilitation in New Hyde Park to recruit volunteers.
For more information about the program or on how to volunteer, call 718-289-2100, Ext. 4980 or email rkaighin-shields@parkerinstitute.org.
