|
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...
|
The Friendly Visiting Program in Pleasanton worked hard to carry on its services during the pandemic, shifting to phone calls to keep homebound seniors feeling connected.
“What we’ve been doing is our volunteers are calling their seniors each week,” program coordinator Pam Silliman said. “We would love to get back inside seniors’ homes, but for now we have to be careful about exposure with this new variant.”
Silliman is actively seeking new volunteers for the Friendly Visiting Program to be prepared when in-person visits resume.
In normal times, the program matches volunteers with seniors they visit to help with reading or shopping or to play games, as well as telephoning regularly to check on them. Some help with mail or shredding or online tasks.
During the pandemic, direct contact halted but volunteers kept in close touch with telephone calls, and occasionally leaving a card or gift on the doorstep.
“The student volunteers have been wonderful with their card making this past year,” Silliman said.
Garron Hahn, 21, a Livermore resident, said he volunteered for the last year with the Friendly Visiting Program as part of a service mission with his church while he attended Las Positas College.
“I had three people assigned to me,” Hahn said. “Everybody was super nice.”
After his training, he made introductory phone calls to his seniors — in their 90s, 70s and 60s — to let them know he was there for them.
“I was very nervous when I made that first call. I’ve always been pretty introverted,” Hahn said. “But the first guy I talked to, he just started talking, and he talked for probably an hour. I thought, that’s perfect. He put me at ease.
“I could help them with programs if they needed anything but I also told them, ‘I want to be your friend,'” he continued. “I was pleasantly surprised at how warm and welcoming they were.
“They were very respectful of me and the fact that I was a volunteer but at the same time I do feel they were comfortable enough to talk about what was going on in their lives. Some of them had things going on that were challenging and they were never hesitant to talk about those things. It was wonderful to offer support and consolation.
“I learned so much and was able to see through their eyes. They gave me advice for life and college and my career. I didn’t expect this — it was beautiful and wonderful.”
Hahn is moving on but said he highly recommends the Friendly Visiting Program. And he found the program was well-structured.
“All around, it was well organized and a good place to work,” he said.
The Friendly Visiting Program is part of Senior Support Program of the Tri-Valley, located in the Pleasanton Senior Center on Sunol Boulevard and funded mainly by Alameda County and grants from the Tri-Valley cities. It also offers a transportation program, counseling, grief groups and caregiver support, among other services.
“We have a case management program that has been ongoing this entire year,” Silliman said. “They actually help seniors set up a program of wellness for their home.”
She is looking forward to resuming the Friendly Visiting in person when volunteers can take the seniors out for tea or grocery shopping.
“But we are looking for volunteers who are interested in reaching out by phone for now and getting to know the senior,” Silliman said. “Our Transportation and Friendly Visiting are always in need of new volunteers so we can provide more services to seniors.”
She also noted that the holidays are right around the corner, and last year they supported more than 200 seniors with gifts, including quilts donated by the Amador Valley Quilters.
“They can email or call me, and I can send them a brochure and application and information on how to get started,” she added.
For more information about volunteering, call Silliman at 931-5388 or email psilliman@ssptv.org.
