In light of Governor Gavin Newsom’s recommendation that people age 65+ self-isolate at home, Senior Concerns is launching several new emergency volunteer programs to support seniors at home in the Conejo Valley. The goal is to ensure that our community’s most vulnerable population has everything they need to remain comfortably and safety at home during this time.
Many of the current Senior Concerns volunteers who deliver the Meals On Wheels for Thousand Oaks and Newbury Park are over the age of 65 and are asked to self-quarantine. We must ensure their safety as well as continue to meet the needs of the homebound seniors who rely on their services. We have a need to temporarily replace the work that these amazing volunteers have been doing for so many years.
We also want to initiate new services to fill the current and urgent need that our senior community is facing due to the self-quarantine. Volunteers are needed to fill several roles including delivering the Meals On Wheels, doing errand shopping and delivery to seniors who cannot shop on their own, providing a friendly phone call to reduce social isolation, and even setting up a pen pal between a child and a senior.
We are looking for people that can be constant during this crisis time and meet the needs of our community’s most vulnerable.
We do have ways people under the age of 18 can be involved as well. They can provide phone conversations with seniors who are isolated at home under the supervision of their guardian or send letters and pictures to seniors at their home.
To make this program possible, Senior Concerns is actively seeking volunteers to fill the needs listed above.
Volunteers can complete an application that is available on our website and must also complete an online background check.
For those wishing to donate items, Senior Concerns is seeking basic pantry and toiletry items. A complete list of these items will be posted on the Senior Concerns website. These items may be dropped off at Senior Concerns Monday through Friday from 10am to 12pm. Please call ahead at 805-497-0189 to ensure someone is in the office to receive the items. The Items will be then provided to homebound seniors in need.
“These are extremely challenging times for our senior community,” says Andrea Gallagher, President of Senior Concerns. “If we can provide seniors with items that meet vital needs, such as food and medications, that’s what we need to do. We hope that providing support and assistance to our elders, they can know they are not alone, and we can all get through this safely and together as a community.”
“As a 45-year-old non-profit in the community, Senior Concerns goal has always been to respond to the needs of our community’s seniors. Now there are new needs emerging quickly due to COVID19. Senior Concerns is creating these New Emergency Wrap Around Services to respond to the current crisis and ensure that ever senior can safely self-quarantine while still having their needs for food, socialization and supplies met,” explains Andrea Gallagher. “It is time for our community to come together and show our seniors that we are here to support them. “
For more information and to sign up to volunteer, please visit https://www.seniorconcerns.org/programs/volunteer or call us at 805-497-0189.
