From singing Elvis songs to reading books, making a connection is a key part of the work a group of volunteers does with local seniors.
Ebbie Crawford, an insurance agent and an advocate through the Johnson County Volunteer Advocates for Seniors and Incapacitated Adults program, spends her time trying to connect with the people she is assigned to help.
For many volunteers, a big part of their job as an advocate is to be sure the adults they are helping have the resources and services they need. But the people Crawford is helping no longer have assets to deal with because they all receive Medicare or Medicaid.
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“The challenge is to find that interest spark so that they can relate to me,” Crawford said. “One woman, we sing Elvis songs together.”
Sam Rhodes, a Franklin College professor, said he bonds with one of the adults he works with by reading books.
“They really appreciate you being there and working with them and talking with them,” Rhodes said.
Johnson County Volunteer Advocates for Seniors and Incapacitated Adults has been in operation for almost two years. The program is geared toward seniors or adults who are unable to make decisions for themselves and don’t have anyone who can advocate for their needs.
The organization is currently looking for 12 more volunteers to assist 28 people who need advocates, and is hosting a training next month.
Crawford would recommend volunteering because it is not too time consuming, but the program means a lot to the people who need it, she said.
“People need people,” she said. “When a person doesn’t have a support system, it’s important to have someone who is important to them.”
People who receive guardians either have family members that live outside of the state, relatives that are no longer alive or they are not under the care of family due to abuse or neglect.
Volunteers dedicate time to helping these people by making medical decisions, dealing with assets or just being someone to talk to.
“We are somebody to come in so they know someone is there for them,” said Deborah Shearer, a volunteer advocate and Argosy University professor.
A guardian’s responsibilities vary depending on who their protected person is and their needs, Director Joe Erickson said.
Advocates often have to deal with challenging aspects, such as applying for Medicare or Medicaid, making sure bills are paid or making a medical decision based on what they would want.
“We try to make decisions that the person would have made had they had all their faculties,” Erickson said. “We’re not trying to sit back and think we have all the answers.”
When Linda Kreuger put her mother into senior care, she wondered what people do if they don’t have anyone to help them through this process. After seeing the difficult time her mother went through, Kreuger decided to help other senior citizens through a local Johnson County program.
“I’ve learned to advocate for these people,” Krueger said.
Kueger has been tasked with applying for Medicaid and handling her protected person’s assets. As part of that process, all the person’s assets have to be transferred to a guardianship bank account.
“There certainly are times when I have my table covered with paperwork,” she said.
Communication with nursing staff is also a key responsibility for the advocates. They must know about medication changes or any problems.
“You talk with the nursing staff and talk with the patients to try and help them see a positive light on things,” Rhodes said.
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Volunteer Advocates for Seniors and Incapacitated Adults is looking for 12 more volunteers. The organization is hosting a new training program for new and current volunteers. The program will go over dementia patient training, ethics, nursing home operations, how to apply for Medicare and Medicaid and other aspects of the job.
When: 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., Aug. 7 through 9
Where: Franklin Fire Department, Station 22, 1800 Thornburg Lane, Franklin.
Requirements: Must be 21 years old or older and have no prior felonies.
Contact: Joe Erickson, 317-346-4414, [email protected]
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