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Frequently Asked Questions
WHAT IS THE CARING CALLERS PROGRAM?
Caring Callers make free, weekly in-home visits to lonely or isolated seniors. The program’s mission is to help frail, homebound seniors form positive social connections.
WHAT ARE THE AGES FOR YOUR VOLUNTEERS?
We encourage intergenerational volunteers. Currently, our volunteers range from the ages of 18 to 92. Sometimes volunteering is a family affair, as in the case of our most active family that includes the Father, Mother and teenage children who are all matched with seniors.
DO YOU HAVE ANY BI-LINGUAL VOLUNTEERS?
We have some wonderful Spanish speaking volunteers that are available for interpreting as well as being matched with monolingual clients that converse in Spanish.
HOW LONG IS THE VOLUNTEER COMMITMENT?
We request that you continue with a match for at least a year. We do have volunteers that have been matched for over 10+ years with the same person. We also have volunteers that correspond with a match even if the client has moved away from the county.
WHAT IS THE CRITERIA FOR MATCHING THE VOLUNTEER WITH A SENIOR?
We focus on matching a Client (Senior) with someone that they have something in common with. Our application process for both the volunteer and the clients asks questions about their hobbies and interests so that we can facilitate great matches.
WHAT IS YOUR SCREENING PROCESS FOR VOLUNTEERS?
We have the volunteers bring a DMV printout as well as three references (not their family) for the initial volunteer enrollment meeting. They complete a background application and our corporate office verifies the information. Prior to service, prospective volunteers participate in an individual one-on-one interview with the program director in order to determine mutual interest in the program. The interview is a great time for prospective volunteers to ask specific questions about the program to see if they are a good match.