A challenge of country life

Lorraine Firchow, left, receives a ride to an appointment courtesy of volunteer driver Jim Costabile. Firchow is one of several clients who receive volunteer services from Kenosha Area Family and Aging Services, Inc. (Submitted/The Report).

Volunteers are desperately needed in rural areas

By Jason Arndt
Editor

For most people, running errands to the grocery store, meeting up with friends, getting a hair cut and making a doctor’s appointment are the makings of a typical day.

The typical day, however, poses a challenge for elderly, homebound residents in rural areas, according to Melissa Meier of Kenosha Area Family and Aging Services Inc.

Unlike densely populated urban areas, where more services are easily accessible, rural communities don’t have this luxury.

“We do see increased need in the county however, with more extreme cases of isolation,” said Meier. “People are remaining in their own home longer. Neighbors are further away, and tasks such as grocery shopping can be a very difficult task when a store is not nearby.”

With less services nearby, Meier’s agency is in dire need of volunteers, to serve as a companion or friend of an elderly, homebound resident.

Volunteers are either semi-retired or retired, but KAFASI welcomes the younger generation to chip in, Meier said.

“Many of our volunteers are over the age of 70 – we would love to have younger folks help,” Meier said.

Through Meier’s agency, volunteers can contribute to Meals on Wheels, serve as a Friendly Visitor, transport residents to appointments and engage seniors in activities at a day program, among other tasks.

“Volunteers in the county initially set out to help one time a week, but some of them volunteer two to three times per week because we do not have a pool of volunteers to choose from,” she said. “These core volunteers go above and beyond, but we also do not want to overextend them.”

One volunteer is Oke DeVilbiss, of Salem Lakes, who keeps residents active at Daybreak in Twin Lakes.

“To me, it is something I have to do,” he said. “I think it is my calling to help people with Dementia and Alzheimer’s.”

DeVilbiss, who is semi-retired, has contributed at Daybreak for more than five years.

When he started, DeVilbiss pitched in about an hour or two per week, but eventually volunteered every day.

In spite of increased demand, he believes volunteering is a worthwhile endeavor, noting the facial expressions of the people he serves.

“I love to see the smiles of people, because when they come in, they feel like they are lost and wouldn’t talk,” said DeVilbiss. “By the end of the day, they would just laugh and smile.”

“When you see that, it makes it rewarding,” he added.

Daybreak Coordinator Diana Mengo credits DeVilbiss for his continuous dedication to helping elderly residents.

“He was volunteering five days a week, which is a lot,” said Mengo. “Out here in the county, it is hard to get help.”

Compassionate friends
Like Daybreak, KAFASI faces the same shortage for its Meals on Wheels program, Meier reports.

“Rural Kenosha County tends to not receive many volunteer inquiries, but the volunteers who do contribute their time are very dedicated,” she said. “An example to demonstrate this would be Meals on Wheels.”

Meals on Wheels assures elderly homebound residents of a hot and nutritious delivered directly to their doors.

Compared to urban areas, where volunteers have shorter routes, rural volunteers travel longer distances.

“County routes tend to be longer than city routes because of the distance between houses, and therefore volunteers spend more time volunteering,” Meier said. “Routes in the county tend to have more openings than the city, but we have a core of very dedicated volunteers who fill in when needed.”

Meals on Wheels offers more than just a meal, but a compassionate friend, she added.

“It is also providing a wellness check and a brief point of social interaction,” Meier said. “We find that our county volunteers go above and beyond delivering a meal, and hear stories of volunteers clearing out expired food in the refrigerator, changing light bulbs and even cutting hair.”

Volunteers have other options, including the Friendly Visitor program and Volunteer Transportation Service, both of which give residents an opportunity have a companion.

The Friendly Visitor program, which has a waiting list for clients, consists of in-person visits or a telephone call depending on the need.

“Participants truly enjoy the companionship,” Meier said.

According to a survey, about 91 percent of elderly residents reportedly find life more enjoyable because of the Friendly Visitor program. All the respondents said they see the program as an important component to their daily living.

“Our Friendly Visitor program has a few individuals on a waiting list – some who have been on the waiting list for a long time who are in need of a friend,” Meier said.

Volunteer Transportation Service, meanwhile, gives elderly residents an opportunity to finish community activities like grocery shopping, hair and doctor appointments.

The transportation service seeks to pair community volunteers with residents who want to have independence.

For the Senior Center Without Walls, residents are invited to join a conference call, where they can discuss a variety of topics to foster social interaction between clients.

Topics include books, travel and informative sessions. Information sessions involve a guest speaker from the community.

“Participants look forward to the calls all week,” Meier said.

Flexibility offered
Meier said volunteers can contribute whenever they are available and she works to accommodate schedules with prospective applicants.

Additionally, they can stay within their community, she added.

How to help
To seek volunteer opportunities for KAFASI, visit its website at www.kafasi.org, where there is an application. For more information on how to help, call (262) 658-2263.


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