Doing Good Is Good For You, Join Us!

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Have you ever had a question or needed something and didn’t know where to turn for answers? Think of how relieved you felt when someone finally showed up and pointed you in the right direction. Long term care residents in your community need you! You can help seniors find answers and get the assistance they need by becoming a Volunteer Ombudsman for residents living in assisted living and nursing home facilities.

The primary function of a Volunteer Ombudsman is to be a friendly face that brightens a resident’s day. The volunteer provides encouragement by listening to concerns, educates residents and families about resident rights, and helps residents find answers to their questions.

Over sixty percent (60%) of the residents of long term care facilities in South Carolina have no visitors. They have no family or friends available to visit them or spend time with them. A lack of social contact and a support system often results in depression and decline. By volunteering, you will help to diminish the sense of isolation that long term care residents experience and help them achieve a sense of self-determination.

The Appalachian Council of Governments is looking for volunteers who enjoy visiting with others, improving lives through communication, and have as little as one to two hours per week available to join the team and enrich the lives of the long term care community.

To become a volunteer, the candidate must be 18 years or older and needs to be able to communicate with vulnerable adults, have problem-solving skills and have a genuine care and concern for long term care residents.

The Appalachian Council of Governments’ Long Term Care Ombudsman Program covers six counties including: Greenville, Spartanburg, Anderson, Oconee, Pickens and Cherokee. Volunteers are needed and welcomed from each area.