in demand

Senior Living Guide

Senior volunteers wanted and needed

by Deirdre Bardolf

Associate Editor

As volunteer programs continue to be built back up post-pandemic, senior candidates are not only wanted but needed.

They offer unique skillsets and life experiences, organizers agree, and volunteering provides the opportunity not only to give back but to get a lot in return, helping to stay mentally and physically well.

“They are a wealth of knowledge,” said Merav deGuzman, director of patient and customer experience education at Long Island Jewish Forest Hills, where she oversees the volunteers at the hospital.

“They can strike up a conversation about just about anything ... And those are the types of things that we are missing in the hospital,” she said.

The hospital is busier than ever, she added, as people catch up on healthcare they neglected during the pandemic, so help from volunteers, especially seniors, is needed more than ever as she tries to grow engagement to prepandemic numbers.

Seniors, deGuzman said, have the ability to make people feel warm, welcome and cared for. At LIJ Forest Hills, they might help by greeting or escorting patients, bringing them water, hospitality or magazines, or navigating the TV or connecting to the Wi-Fi.

“Patient-centered care is the norm now. It’s not about what we do or don’t do, it’s about how we make you feel ... it’s very small acts of kindness that go such a long way in patient experience.”

DeGuzman interviews candidates to match them with a role that will leave them feeling fulfilled and also comfortable and safe, especially considering Covid and health concerns.

Keeping busy, she said, helps seniors be fulfilled and avoid depression, anxiety and deterioration of independence.

And it’s a commitment, too, she said, as volunteers go through an orientation process, get medically cleared and are asked to commit six hours a week and 100 hours in total to volunteering. For more information, they can call her at (718) 830-5400.

“I would love to find seniors who sing, who play an instrument ... volunteers who speak other languages,” DeGuzman said.

She continued, “Having someone that you can sit with and speak with in your native language makes you feel better or less anxious about being in a country that you may not be a 100 percent comfortable in.”

The Community Service Society of New York, a nonprofit established in 1843, also is working build back its cohort of volunteers.

Prior to the pandemic, there were around 2,300 older adults volunteering throughout the five boroughs with the Retired and Senior Volunteer Program, which falls under the umbrella of AmeriCorps and has since been replicated nationally. The program partnered with a network of 250 organizations, but during the pandemic the number of volunteers fell to under 700, said Alina Molina, vice president of program services at CSS and a resident of Jackson Heights.

In Queens, there were 175 active volunteers last year, ranging in age from 55 to 99, working both remotely and in person.

“This is our major focus now, to get back to that, for two reasons: because of the invaluable services that volunteers are providing to organizations and also because it’s really great for older adults to be engaged and to not only feel that they’re making a contribution, but actually making a contribution,” said Molina.

Opportunities through RSVP are both internal and external.

In-house, volunteers 55 years and older can be thoroughly trained in and work with Advocacy, Counseling and Entitlement Services, which provides information and advocacy assistance to seniors and low-income New Yorkers on benefit programs including Medicaid, SNAP, SSI, Medicare, cash assistance and more; Financial Coaching Corps, where volunteers serve as financial coaches to support low-income families and individuals; MentorUP, which offers mentoring with a focus on academic supports and vocational training to youth in the juvenile justice system and young people not in school and out of work; and MentorChip, which mentors kids ages 6 to 16 whose parents are incarcerated.

Or, RSVP will pair seniors with external organizations. Programs may be located at NYC Health + Hospitals/Elmhurst, John F. Kennedy Airport and more.

“The volunteer opportunities are as diverse as the city,” said Deirdre Ryan, program director for RSVP.

“We want folks to consider, ‘do you want to use the skills that you have existing from your lifetime of experience or do you want to try something new?” she said.

The ACES program, for example, requires 40 hours of benefits training.

It’s a personal choice, too, she added, and not a one-size-fits all approach.

“When I began volunteering, it was just something to fill my days, but over time, it became something that fills my heart — there is no price to be placed on that level of fulfillment,” Judith Purcell, a Queens Village resident and RSVP volunteer at Ronald McDonald House of Long Island, shared with RSVP in a testimonial. A virtual AmeriCorps Seniors RSVP volunteer fair will take place on Thursday, Nov. 17, from 10 to 11 a.m.

Register in advance at bit.ly/3rM3WYE.

AARP New York also provides seniors the opportunity to utilize their existing talents or learn new skills.

“The membership is what brings you in, but the camaraderie and the learning together as a group, working alongside volunteers is what makes you stay,” said Kemba Tamar, associate state director for volunteer resources and engagement.

“For people who are looking for something meaningful, something genuine that they can connect with, that has a real tangible, fun atmosphere, AARP volunteer opportunities give you just that. While it’s not like going back to work, it’s definitely about whatever you’re passionate about, whatever you feel most compelling.”

Seniors can become advocacy volunteers, as AARP is a nonpartisan advocate for social change on issues that matter to people 50 and older.

“Not only do we train people how to advocate to their legislators, but then they also see the fruits of their labor,” said Erin Mitchell, director of engagement.

Voter engagement is a current focus and there are also speaker opportunities such as where volunteers can visit senior centers and educate people about not falling victim to fraud.

As for Queens, volunteer opportunities could come through everything from paper shredding events to big community happenings like the annual Dragon Boat Festival in Flushing where AARP will have a table.

AARP is also hosting a virtual event to learn about volunteering with the organization on Monday, Nov. 21, from 11 am to noon. For more information, email aarpnyvolunteer@ aarp.org to visit AARP.org/iwant2volunteer.

The city Department of the Aging launched a new volunteer portal over the summer, agingvolunteers.cityofnewyork.us, to help streamline the process for residents looking to give back. Those interested can also call (212) 244-6469.

Older adult volunteers can partake in the agency’s health promotion program, where they can help organize presentations and fitness programs at senior centers; the Health Insurance Information, Counseling and Assistance Program; or the Foster Grandparent Program, which places them in community settings like schools, community based-organizations and hospitals where they can provide tutoring and emotional support.

The latter requires 15 hours per week, a background check, and participants receive a small stipend for their efforts.

“The Department for the Aging has many volunteer opportunities for older adults that put their skills and knowledge to good use, which helps them to be personally fulfilled, being active and engaged, in their communities,” said Meka Nurse, senior director of Aging Connect at DFTA, in a statement sent to the Chronicle.

“There are a variety of volunteer opportunities from visiting a homebound older New Yorker, to tutoring young children, and helping residents navigate and understand Medicare. We encourage New Yorkers young and old to visit our volunteer portal and sign up to make a difference in the life of an older adult.”

Queens Community House also provides opportunities for older adults.

“We have several older adult program participants who are a part of the Action Group, where they get to engage with participants and other neighbors, learn more about the community and explore ways to better organize and make positive change,” said Thomas Cruz, director of communications for the nonprofit.

Volunteers can participate in cleanups and rallies and help encourage Queens residents to vote leading up to elections, and more. Q

Older volunteers are valued for their knowledge and life experience but giving back provides them benefits as well. A range of opportunities exist across the borough for those interested.

“When I began volunteering, it was just something to fill my days, but over time, it became something that fills my heart.” — Judith Purcell, RSVP volunteer