Good Shepherd Interfaith Volunteer Caregivers (GSIVC)
CARE RECEIVER POLICIES AND PROCEDURES
Mission Statement
Good Shepherd Interfaith Volunteer Caregivers, a Faith in Action program, provides informal, volunteer caregiving to home-based older or disabled Jefferson County residents.
Definition: The term “informal, volunteer caregiving” refers to non-medical help (nonprofessional health care) such as transportation; shopping; visiting; telephone reassurance; writing letters; minor home repair, light housekeeping; grass cutting; snow & trash removal; and loaning medical equipment. The options will be thoroughly explained by the volunteer coordinator or other staff.
Organizational Goals
· Promote independence, dignity, security and quality of life among elderly, disabled, frail, and/or homebound residents of Jefferson County, regardless of income or family circumstances.
· Provide non-medical, neighborly assistance and companionship through individuals and/or teams of committed and caring volunteers from faith congregations and the wider community—ultimately, enriching the lives of all.
· Provide relevant community education, preventative health programs, collaborative relationships with medical entities and faith communities, and leadership for parish nursing coalition.
Eligibility for Services
· Resident of Jefferson County, WV.
· Home-based—resides in private home/apartment or nursing facility, having neither the option nor means of leaving the residence alone.
· An elder or older adult, usually frail and/or chronically ill, or disabled adults.
· May or may not be disabled, BUT must be mobile enough to assist the volunteer if leaving the house and/or could continue to live independently with some friendly, neighborly assistance from time to time.
· Any income level.
· No faith preference or requirement.
Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity
There will be no discrimination against any individual requesting assistance by reason of disability or on the basis of age. Furthermore, there will be no discrimination on the basis of race, color, ethnicity, sex, creed, national origin, or socioeconomic status.
In addition, to ensure full equality of opportunity in all operations and activities of the organization, affirmative action policies will be utilized in the recruitment, selection, training, placement, and recognition of volunteer caregivers as well as in the provision of volunteer services.
GSIVC respects the privacy and personal beliefs of all care receivers and volunteers. GSIVC does not permit proselytizing by one faith community for members of another or the maligning of any person’s faith. GSIVC does encourage interaction and understanding among various faith communities and respect for the religious beliefs of all persons.
The open practice or advocacy of racism by any care receiver or volunteer is not permitted.
Care Receiver Rights and Responsibilities
Every person receiving services from Good Shepherd Caregivers is covered by the policies contained in this document. These policies provide a framework for the safe and conscientious provision of services. These services are free to residents of Jefferson County who have been accepted as care receivers. In turn, it is your responsibility to be conscientious and considerate by adhering to all policies and procedures as set forth in this document.
Care Receiver Program Procedures
Request for Services
In order to become a care receiver, a Care Receiver Application must be completed. All information asked for in this form is essential to our agency’s ability to match you to a volunteer or volunteers who can meet your identified needs. If you are personally unable to complete an application, the document may be completed by a family member, friend, or referring agency.
1. Review of Eligibility and/or Referral.
- Once your application is reviewed and you have been accepted as a care receiver, you will be contacted via telephone or with a letter within 10 days.
- Not everyone who requests services from Good Shepherd Caregivers is a candidate for our services. If, at any point in the application process, it is determined that your needs are beyond the scope of what we can offer, you will be provided with information on other agencies that may be able to help.
Note: As your needs or conditions change, please notify Good Shepherd by telephone; a new application will not be required.
2. Specific Requests. Requests for services should be made by telephone at least two weeks prior to the time the service is needed. Please call our main office at 876-3325, Monday through Friday from 10 am – 4 pm. If you reach our voice mail service, please leave only your name and number; we will discuss the details of the request when we return your call.
The volunteer coordinator will attempt to find a volunteer to perform your requested service and will inform you once a volunteer has been assigned. The volunteer will contact the care receiver prior to the assignment to discuss particulars and confirm times. If you do not hear from the volunteer, please contact the GSIVC office.
3. Ongoing Services. Depending on the situation, an ongoing care receiver/volunteer relationship may develop in which the same volunteer repeatedly provides services for a care receiver. In other cases, different volunteers may provide services to a care receiver at different times. All services must be arranged through the Good Shepherd office; arrangements should not be made directly between you and a volunteer (other than confirming the arrangements, as described in the previous paragraph).
4. Inability to Fulfill Request and/or Referral. Because volunteers provide all of our services, Good Shepherd Caregivers cannot guarantee that every request will be met. However, our staff will make every effort to locate a volunteer to carry out the requested task. In the event that we are unable to fulfill a request, our staff will provide you with referrals, as appropriate.
5. Questions or Concerns. GSIVC staff members are open to and encourage any questions or concerns at any time.
6. Follow-Up. After a match has been made, you will be called a few weeks later to make certain that your needs are being met.
Confidentiality
Volunteers and staff have been instructed in confidentiality and are not permitted to release information without your consent.
Identification
All volunteers are provided with an official identification card. Care receivers are responsible for asking to see this, to ensure your personal safety. If there is ever a doubt about the identity of the volunteer, you should not admit them into your home nor enter their car. A call should be placed immediately to the GSIVC office at 876-3325.
Volunteer Compensation
· Volunteers will perform services with no anticipation of financial compensation. Care receivers should NOT offer to pay volunteers for services.
· GSIVC has a Gifts Policy that states: A volunteer, under no circumstance(s), is to accept money or personal property from a care receiver for services rendered on behalf of GSIVC. If the care receiver wishes to donate to GSIVC, then any money or property MUST BE turned over to the organization; the Volunteer Coordinator will notify the Executive Director and a thank-you issued on behalf of the organization.
Materials
Supplies and materials needed for minor repairs, cleaning, etc., are the responsibility of the care receiver.
Safety and Emergency Procedures
Safety of the care receiver is of utmost importance. Volunteers are trained to act with good judgment in the event of an emergency. The GSIVC Safety and Risk Management Policy was developed for the welfare and benefit of all. All volunteers have been trained to follow a detailed Crisis Plan; any serious accident or emergency must be reported to GSIVC personnel immediately.
Transportation
For the safety of all involved, volunteers who provide transportation services must do so in vehicles that are in proper working condition and that are duly licensed and insured. Volunteers are at least 18 years old and have a valid driver’s license. All drivers and passengers (care receivers) must wear seat belts at all times.
Resolution of Problems
When problems arise with the provision of services, the care receiver should contact the Executive Director as soon as possible. The Executive Director will then collect information from all those involved and develop a plan of action to resolve the problem. If the problem still cannot be resolved, it should then be addressed to the President of the Board of Directors.
Limits on Services
Services can only be provided if GSIVC can locate a volunteer willing to provide the requested assistance. Every attempt will be made to meet requests. There may be times when services cannot be provided because a volunteer is not available.