Our Activities

2009 VOLUNTEER SERVICES

Volunteer services are divided into Core and Seasonal programs. Core volunteer services include services for which volunteers are specially trained by ElderNet. Volunteers are interviewed, screened, and entered into ElderNet’s active database. Core service programs include:  Escort Driver, Telephone Reassurance, Odd Jobs/Chore Services, Friendly Visiting, and Special Projects.

Seasonal programs include Special Projects and Development, seasonal Odd Jobs, and the Holiday Basket project. The volunteers may work with ElderNet's Board committees, or may offer special project help through their corporate, youth, faith or other community group.  

For 2009 our volunteer services by program are:

Escort Driver Program: 88 volunteers, staff, and one paid service provided 2,019 round trips rides/shopping for 126 clients. Clients are residents of Lower Merion and Narberth with low-moderate income who are too physically or mentally disabled to use public transportation or shared (curb-to-curb) rides.

Telephone Reassurance:  8 volunteers called 13 clients daily, for a total of 3,318 calls. Clients are frail or homebound residents of Lower Merion and Narberth. Callers report any problems with clients to ElderNet social workers for help.                               

Odd Jobs: 45 volunteers provided 154 jobs for 48 clients. Clients are low-moderate income residents of Lower Merion or Narberth who need help with chores in order to remain in their homes.                                                                           

Friendly Visiting: 18 volunteers made 281 visits to 14 clients. Volunteers ran errands; helped with bills/bookkeeping; read mail for blind/disabled clients; visited; took clients on outings.                   

Special Projects:  76 volunteers gave 785 hours to ElderNet.  Projects included grants writing, the Spring fundraiser, other fundraising, helping at the food cupboard, and preparing and delivering holiday baskets.

 2009 YTD CORE VOLUNTEER SERVICES: 176 core-service volunteers gave 7,763 hours to 145 clients.

Holiday food baskets
ready for distribution!

2009 Holiday Basket Program (seasonal volunteer program):1,482 seasonal volunteers from SRSN, faith communities, businesses, Bryn Mawr Hospital, and the local community contributed 7,138 hours to serve 179 households (350 adults/children) for Thanksgiving and the winter holidays.  ElderNet coordinates Holiday baskets. For Passover and Easter Holidays 18 homebound persons recieved seasonal foods.

 2009 YTD ALL VOLUNTEER SERVICES:  Including core services and seasonal volunteers and clients, 1,658 total volunteers provided 14,901 hours of service to 500 persons.
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Professional Staff

2009 STAFF & SOCIAL WORK SERVICES 

Information and Referral Services: ElderNet's staff answered 4,366 calls, responding to questions and problems of 2,470 unduplicated persons. first-time callers. ElderNet staffers answer questions and provide help to callers are of all ages and incomes. When suitable, staff refer callers to publicly funded services as needed and/or refer to ElderNet care managers for more complex cases. The figures above do not include volunteer transportation calls—well over 1,000 per month-- or daily Telephone Reassurance calls.
                                                                                                                                                            
Care Management Services:  Our two Care Managers and our social work intern worked with 280 Care Management clients/families this year.  Care management clients have problems that are more complex and require more time than just information or referrals. Care managers help to connect clients with publicly funded services and other services and follow up to make sure services are received.

Emergency Financial Assistance:  ElderNet administers emergency funds (ESSLM and other locally raised small funds) to help people in crisis.  ElderNet takes no money for administering the fund. 352 unduplicated persons were helped with $38,739.12 in emergency aid from the ESSLM, W.W. Smith, AmerisourceBergen, FEMA/AARA and Dottie Young Funds, plus groceries from our food cupboard. Assistance was given for help with heating fuel, rent and mortgage payments, food certificates, utility bills, medical insurance, overnight stays for homeless persons, medical care, and non-ElderNet transportation.

• As part of the Gatekeepers/Carrier Alert Program in the nine local post offices, ElderNet staff has trained local postal carriers to be alert to signs that an older or disabled younger person is in need of services, and to refer him or her to ElderNet for assistance. In 2005, ElderNet responded to 85 calls from police/postal carriers and neighbors about problems facing older adults.
• ElderNet also distributed free informational guides to Senior Services and to Housing. In 2009, over 200 copies of informational materials were distributed.
• ElderNet distributed 325 Files of Life to make emergency medical information accessible.
• ElderNet provides information and advocacy on issues pertinent to elderly, needy or disabled adults. Local and state officials have come to us for information on issues that affect our clients. In 2009, we worked with State legislators, and the State Office on Aging to try to direct money for more home-care services for the frail elderly. We also advocated for needs and services for older people and for affordable housing.
• In 2009, ElderNet produced two newsletters that were sent out to over 3,000 area individuals, service organizations, faith communities and officials keep our community informed on the work of ElderNet. Please refer to the NEWS area of this site for a printable version of the latest newsletter.
• ElderNet opened the Ada Mutch Community Resource Center in October 2009 in partnership with Montgomery County Southeastern Regional Services Network (SRSN), Bryn Mawr Hospital, and Main Line Health Services and Montgomery County Aging and Adult Services. The center houses the Food Cupboard: ElderNet Care Management; "Ask a Nurse Program;" APPRISE insurance counselors, by appointment; and "YOUR CALL," a free referral program sponsored by SRSN. The center is open Tuesdays and Thursdays. Please call for program times (610-525-0706)
• The free Lock for Life program, in partnership with the Lower Merion Police Department, placed 85 key safes to permit access when an isolated or homebound person may be unable to answer the door to emergency responders.