Summer Internship Opportunity - Socialization Program - Friends From Meals on Wheels

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As of July 1, 2021, all in-person volunteers and interns will be asked to complete our Vaccination Attestation form and will be required to be vaccinated. Proof of vaccination is not required.

The Friends from Meals on Wheels program (FMOW) is a friendly home visitor program provided by The Health Trust for clients who are primarily isolated, homebound and over the age of 75. It began in April of 2016, with the goal of decreasing social isolation among homebound older adults receiving Meals on Wheels. The program includes the provision of any combination of the following: weekly or bimonthly friendly home visits, friendly telephone calls, an in-home exercise program, monthly newsletter, group phone calls, community referrals and birthday gift delivery to clients. Due to COVID-19, friendly home visits are currently paused. However, outdoor and physically distanced friendly home visits may resume when safe to do so.

Under general supervision and according to Friends from Meals on Wheels general policies and procedures, the Intern will perform moderately complex duties implementing the Friends from Meals on Wheels program. The Intern will be assigned a caseload of senior, homebound clients and will schedule and conduct weekly friendly home visits and telephone calls with them. The Intern will also conduct telephone outreach to potential new clients as needed and complete client assessments or surveys, including the Duke Social Support Index (DSSI-10) to measure social support.

Duties & Responsibilities:

• Schedule and conduct weekly or bimonthly home visits and/or phone calls to client caseload.
• Attend and participate in weekly Friends from Meals on Wheels staff meetings.
• Accurately complete client assessments and surveys.
• Assist with creating a monthly client newsletter and in-office mailings as needed.
• Learn and apply Motivational Interviewing techniques to ascertain client willingness/ability to make changes and utilize referral information.
• Become familiar with community-based resources for homebound seniors, and refer clients to appropriate resources to meet their needs.
• Build a strong rapport with client caseload and with community-based organizations providing services to seniors.
• Understand the scope of social work services provided by The Health Trust, and/or shadow or conduct informational interviews with other department managers.
• Understand The Health Trust’s public and private partnerships in Santa Clara County.
• Conduct outreach telephone calls to potential new clients as needed.
• Contact family members or emergency contacts to update them on client status.
• Mandatory reporting to Adult Protective Services.
• Additional duties may be assigned as needed to meet class requirements.

Qualifications

• Experience in working with seniors or an interest in geriatrics preferred.
• Outgoing, caring, empathetic people person, who is able to make conversation, build rapport, and engage easily with seniors, some of whom are: hard of hearing or deaf, have limited eyesight, have various stages of dementia/cognitive impairment, and/or are unable to walk without an assistive device.
• Comfort being in client homes, apartment complexes, senior living facilities, etc. which may contain: presence of pets, other family members, clutter, disrepair, smells, etc.
• High level of initiative, motivation, and hard work ethic to reach weekly home visit and/or telephone call goals with minimal supervision.
• Ability to use own transportation to get to client homes in various locations throughout Santa Clara County.
• Willingness to use language interpreter phone service to provide services to non-English speaking clients.
• Ability to model and communicate the Friends of Meals on Wheels program to other agencies/organizations, and support a culture of empowerment and teamwork at The Health Trust.
• Ability to communicate effectively with diverse populations, and display cultural humility.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office products and Google Apps

Areas of Study:

• Public Health
• Community Health
• Health Sciences
• Geriatrics
• Psychology
• Sociology

Requirements:

• 18+, online application, and onboarding forms
• Proof of COVID-19 vaccination
• Must use own transportation for travel to visits, and have a valid California driver’s license, current automobile insurance, and reliable car (Mileage will be reimbursed)
• Orientation and training
• Bilingual; Vietnamese/English required
• Ability to work independently, prioritize and handle multiple tasks

• Must be able to commit for the semester or 6 months. (longer commitments are also welcome)
• In-person internship

Working Conditions:

• Professional office environment and homes, apartment complexes, senior living facilities, etc. of clients.

If interested, please send your resume and availability to the Community Partnerships Manager, Mayra Catalán at volunteers@healthtrust.org