Friendly Visitor: Connect with Homebound Older New Yorkers

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The Department for the Aging is working in partnership with Citymeals on Wheels, and DFTA-funded case management and home delivered meal programs to connect volunteers with homebound older New Yorkers to have in home visits on a regular basis. For volunteers, friendly visiting offers the opportunity to cultivate a lasting friendship, to learn from a senior’s life experiences, and to benefit from the personal satisfaction derived from community service. Friendly visiting leads to the creation of meaningful relationships between older adults and volunteers, promoting intergenerational understanding. For the senior, friendly visiting provides a sense of connection to the outside world, something to look forward to, and a sense of contributing to society through sharing their wisdom, knowledge, talents and stories with you.

Tasks:

• Visit an older adult you are matched with once a week, in the senior’s home
• Provide monthly reports/updates to the Friendly Visiting program coordinator

Requirements:

• Commit to being a Friendly Visitor for a minimum of six months
• Comfortable establishing a relationship with an older adult
• Honest, mature, motivated, patient
• Ability to maintain confidentiality
• Willing and able to contact the program coordinator should problems arise
• Participate in an in-person interview
• Undergo and pass a background check and provide references

Skills Preferred:

• Ability to speak languages other than English desired, but not required

Training:

• Orientation/training provided by the Friendly Visiting program coordinator

Time Commitment:

• One hour per week, for a period of six months

• Flexible hours and days to allow for a mutually convenient time for the volunteer and senior to meet