Volunteers interact with senior citizens

Nothing brightens a day like a friendly call or visit, especially if someone lives alone or cannot leave their home.

For more than 30 years, the elderly and shut-in residents of Monmouth County have been given brighter days through two programs of the Monmouth County Office of Social Services: the Reassuring Calling Service and the Home Friends.

"The target group is the isolated and alone individual who may or may not have family nearby," said Pam Martin, a Monmouth County social worker who coordinates the volunteer services of the programs. "The aim is to maintain the mental health and wellbeing of the individual through socializing with others."

Martin said the Reassuring Calling Service is based on a Washington, D.C., model and began in the early 1970s when there were few senior social services. The participants are usually more than 60 years old, but younger individuals with disabilities have been part of the program, too, she said.

"While the programs are not really for the active senior who is out and about, every case is treated on an individual basis," said Martin, who has been a social worker for 33 years. "Everyone's circumstances are different."

She said any individual who resides in Monmouth County or a member of that individual's family may initiate participation in the Reassuring Calling Service or Home Friends (formerly Friendly Visitor), but it is the individual who will receive the service who makes the final decision.

Martin said once an individual is assessed as eligible in either or both programs, an appropriate volunteer is found to make the telephone call or visit.

"We try for a good match of individuals," she said. "The participant and the volunteer make their own time schedules, usually several phone calls a week or a once or twice weekly visit. There are different volunteers for calls and for visits."

Martin said if a volunteer cannot reach a participant by phone or a visit in a reasonable amount of time, usually 24 hours, contact numbers for family member or neighbors are used. Hospitals are also checked.

The volunteers, she said, are mainly over 21 years of age and do not have to reside in Monmouth County. The volunteers receive an orientation packet containing an application requesting references, and they are interviewed and assessed for a proper match.

"We have wonderful volunteers who increase the quality of life of others and offer them companionship," she said. "They offer a ray of sunshine to participants and often become friends. Our volunteers are committed to helping and may be the first people who notice changes in a participant who may require other social services."

At present, Martin said, there are 82 participants who are helped by a volunteer on a one-to-one basis. The participants are about equally divided between the Reassuring Calling Service and the home visits.

Carolyn Grapel, Monmouth County's assistant administrative supervisor of social services, said funding for these two programs originates in a state social service block grant. The services are provided free to Monmouth County residents.

"The economic times are hard now, especially on our aging population," she said. "Volunteers are always needed in a variety of programs."

Grapel, who has been a social worker for 40 years, said the Parent Mentor program was established about 25 years ago and enlists volunteers to help people with parenting skills, with the focus on preventing child abuse.

Also, she said an ongoing Project EAT (Everyone Ate Today) helps fill empty food pantry shelves. In 2007, 43 schools and 12 businesses and organizations collected nonperishable food items for 57 area food pantries.

William Heine, Monmouth County's director of public information, praised the social services programs as "useful and beneficial to county residents" and stressed the importance of volunteers "who provide their time to build social relationships with others."

For more information about the Reassuring Calling Service or Home Friends, or to volunteer, call Pam Martin weekdays between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. at 732-845-2074.