to Friendly Visitor Program
NCCOA Programs Evolve for Changing Needs
By Janice Ancrum, NCCOA President & CEO
As we’re strolling down NCCOA Memory Lane in preparation for our 50th anniversary in 2024, I’m reminded of how focused our forerunners were on matching programs and services to seniors’ changing needs. While needs may remain consistent – nutrition, home health, transportation – the size and scale of those offerings change with an aging population. And your Nassau County Council on Aging is keeping pace.
Today, nearly one-third of all seniors live by themselves, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. That’s close to 14 million seniors aging alone who do so since the death of a spouse, lack of family nearby or the choice to age in place. In Nassau County, our senior population has increased 800% throughout our half-century history. In 1974, Nassau County’s total population was 26,300, with 3,000 (11%) being seniors. Today, our county has grown to close to 96,000 residents, with 27,000 (30%) seniors; of this number, approximately 15%-20% live alone. That percentage grows year after year.
Spending time with others is essential to a senior’s mental and emotional health. It also impacts their physical well-being. It is important for seniors and their family members to interact socially – whether in person or by phone – even if they have limited mobility and can’t enjoy the same events and friendships they once did.
In the 70s and 80s, NCCOA’s How Can We Help? program provided many services, including companionship for seniors who were socially or geographically isolated. Volunteer-led, the program provided one-on-one in-person visitation or check-in by phone. Both offered a critical personal connection. How Can We Help evolved to the Circle of Friends in the 2000s, encompassing similar services on a larger scale, such as small home repair (precursor to CHORE), personal security and a link to nutrition and transportation. The Circle of Friends program is a “lifeline for independent seniors,” as shared by a staff member at the time.
In challenging times, homebound seniors can be especially vulnerable. Throughout the pandemic, our in-home assistance transferred to telephone reassurance. This program created an emotional bridge during a time of isolation and uncertainty. Volunteers spent time every week checking in by phone with local seniors, making sure they were safe and had meals. Volunteers also ran errands for seniors, including pharmacy runs for needed medication. Many times, a caring conversation between senior and volunteer was the best medicine.
Senior isolation can be both common and dangerous. While living alone doesn’t inevitably lead to senior loneliness, the two often go hand in hand. In response, NCCOA recently relaunched our Friendly Visitor Program – the culmination of How Can We Help?, Circle of Friends and Telephone Reassurance.
Friendly Visitor volunteers are matched with seniors based on common interests, geographic location and support needs. Volunteers visit clients weekly (usually from 1-1 ½ hours) and assist NCCOA’s case management staff by sharing observations regarding clients’ needs. During a visit, volunteers keep seniors company, assist with tasks (letter writing, light organizing, paperwork) and have fun working on hobbies, taking walks or reading books. Volunteers may also link seniors with other support services, such as home-delivered meals and home health care. Confidentiality is always maintained.
If you know a senior who would benefit from the Friendly Visitor Program or if you’d like to volunteer, please contact NCCOA’s Volunteer Coordinator Frances Bartelt at (904) 775-5484 or fbartelt@nassaucountycoa.org. You may also email a Friendly Visitor coordinator at friendlyvisitors@nassaucountycoa.org.
For additional information on NCCOA, contact us at 904-261-0701.
NCCOA celebrates our 50th anniversary on February 15, 2024. Until then, we’re focusing on highlights from each decade on the way to our Salute to Seniors 50th Anniversary Gala on Saturday, January 20 at The Ritz-Carlton, Amelia Island.
Contact Liz Dunn, Marketing Director, at ldunn@nassaucountycoa.org for more info.