Area Agency on Aging recruiting volunteers

Looking for an opportunity to make a real difference in the lives of others? If so, the Area Agency on Aging District 7, Inc. (AAA7) has an opportunity for you or someone you know who may be interested in helping some of our most vulnerable citizens - nursing home residents.  

Through AAA7’s Volunteer Ombudsman Program, these special helpers visit nursing home residents on a regular basis to provide them with a link to the outside world. Through these visits, Volunteer Ombudsmen help to lessen the isolation and loneliness many residents experience. Volunteers also provide an essential voice for residents, providing advocacy and assistance for those who have concerns about their care.   

Volunteer Ombudsmen plan their own schedules, are permitted to visit any day of the week, and are provided hands-on training and technical assistance by the AAA7’s Ombudsman Program Staff.  Volunteers are recognized during an annual event and invited to various AAA7 training programs and conferences at no cost.   

Doug McCoard, a Volunteer Ombudsman from Pike County, who volunteers in Scioto County, does feel that he has made a difference for residents of nursing homes who are unable to speak for themselves.  “What I like best about my role as a Volunteer Ombudsman is that I have the opportunity to not only speak for residents, but also provide residents with the encouragement and assistance to speak for themselves.  It’s what keeps me going back every week knowing that I am providing a voice for residents who may not feel they have one.”   

Gallipolis resident John Brewer feels he is giving back to the community when he volunteers his time in the Ombudsman Program.  “I experience a lot of enjoyment and satisfaction through my time as a Volunteer Ombudsman,” Brewer comments.  “I am always welcomed with open arms by residents I come in contact with as they know I have their best interests at heart.”   

Lavon Shields of Jackson, who has served as a Volunteer Ombudsman for seven years, says volunteering gives her the “satisfaction that I have helped residents by serving as an advocate for them”.  She adds that the training provided by Agency staff provides volunteers with valuable knowledge that helps with providing this needed assistance.  Shields encourages those individuals who have a love for people to consider becoming a Volunteer Ombudsman.  “I enjoy every bit of it,” she says.   
 

“Volunteer Ombudsmen are invaluable to the AAA7 Ombudsman Program and the residents they serve,” says Kaye Inoshita, RN, Director of AAA7’s Ombudsman Program.  “Through their wonderful service, volunteers provide a regular presence in our large ten-county service region while assisting with concerns regarding resident care.”  

If you are interested in volunteering for an organization that makes a difference in the lives of others, please contact Cindy Oakes, Volunteer Coordinator, or Kaye Inoshita, toll-free at 1-800-582-7277. 

Your local Area Agency on Aging District 7, Inc. serves the following counties in Ohio: Adams, Brown, Gallia, Highland, Jackson, Lawrence, Pike, Ross, Scioto and Vinton.  Services are rendered on a non-discriminatory basis.  The Agency’s Mission is “Assisting individuals to maintain independence and personal choice by providing resource options and services.”  Those interested in learning more about the services provided through the Area Agency on Aging District 7, can also call toll-free at 1.800.582.7277.