Friends from Meals on Wheels Fall Internship

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The Friends from Meals on Wheels (FMOW) is a friendly visitor program aimed at decreasing social isolation and loneliness in homebound seniors. It targets low-income seniors who are 75 years of age or older, live alone, and/or are people of color. It is available to seniors who are part of The Health Trust’s Meals on Wheels Program. Socialization services are provided by Health Trust staff, interns, and volunteers and include: home visits, with exercise options available; telephone calls; facilitated group calls that include participating in virtual games, like bingo; a mailed monthly newsletter; birthday and other volunteer written cards throughout the year; and referrals to community resources.

Duties & Responsibilities:

• Schedule and conduct weekly or bi-monthly home visits and/or phone calls to client caseload, with the goal of building a strong rapport with clients.
• Conduct outreach telephone calls to potential new clients as needed.
• Accurately complete client assessments and surveys.
• Assist with creating and translating a monthly client newsletter and in-office mailings.
• Become familiar with community-based resources for homebound seniors, and refer clients to appropriate resources to meet their needs.
• Attend and participate in weekly Friends from Meals on Wheels staff meetings.
• Understand the scope of services provided by The Health Trust, and/or shadow or conduct informational interviews with other department managers.
• 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.
• High level of initiative, motivation and hard work ethic to reach weekly home visit and/or telephone call goals with minimal supervision.
• 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:

• Must use own transportation for travel to visits, and have a valid California driver’s license and current automobile insurance (Mileage will be reimbursed).
• Bilingual Vietnamese/English, Spanish/English, or Mandarin/English strongly preferred.
• Ability to work independently, prioritize and handle multiple tasks.
• Ability to pass a background screening.
• Proof of COVID-19 vaccination including booster dose
• Must be able to commit for the semester or a minimum of 200 hours. Longer commitments are also welcome.

Working Conditions:

• Professional office environment and homes, apartment complexes, senior living facilities, etc. of clients.
• Due to the nature of the work, the Intern will be asked to come into the office.
• Half-time working remotely is a possibility after the initial training period is complete.