For Immediate Release
September 12, 2002
Contact: Maria E. Ramos
(219) 865-2141, ext. 45321
Maria.Ramos@ssfhs.org

HAMMOND/DYER—According to a recent U.S. Census Bureau Report, the population age 65 and older will grow by nearly 80 percent before 2025. In preparation, Saint Margaret Mercy developed a Volunteer Advocates for Seniors program that provides the quality healthcare and community support seniors need to lead a dignified and independent life.

The model program at Saint Margaret Mercy provides volunteer advocacy services for elderly persons who are inpatients in the behavioral health or medical healthcare service at the hospital. The patients served by the program are those with diminished or questionable capacity to represent his or her “best interests” and are without family or guardian involvement to represent the patient.

The program recruits and trains volunteers to serve as temporary advocates for the patients. The volunteers are appointed as Temporary Limited Guardians by the Lake County Probate Court. The role of the volunteer advocate is to assist the Probate Court by investigating and assessing the patient’s life situation, facilitating services needed by the patient, and advocating for the appropriate post-hospitalization planning services.

The program began in 2002 as an effort to address the behavioral and medical healthcare and social services needs of the ever-increasing population of elderly patients being served by Saint Margaret Mercy Healthcare Centers. Saint Margaret Mercy has worked with the Lake County Courts, the local legal community and representatives of the other major healthcare providers in the county to establish the program. The VAS Program is partnering with other existing and emerging service programs for the elderly to develop a continuum of advocacy and guardian programming within the community.

The program is considered to be a part of Saint Margaret Mercy’s mission: “Continuing Christ’s Ministry In Our Franciscan Tradition.”

Become A Program Volunteer
Do you have experience with older or disabled adults and are interested in helping others? Can you commit the time it takes to become an effective volunteer? If so, volunteer to be a senior advocate.

Volunteers in the Volunteer Advocates for Seniors program must be at least 21 years old and should successfully complete the application, screening and training process. Volunteers are required to complete a minimum of 40 hours of initial training and 12 hours of continuing education on an annual basis.

Training for the program is provided by professionals in the health, mental health, legal and social services fields and will cover the following topics:

• Volunteer roles and responsibilities
• Understanding the aging process
• Aged health and mental health needs
• Communications skills
• Negotiation skills
• Case planning and management skills
• Court report writing skills
• Lake County social services resources
• Legal rights of the elderly
• Indiana probate and guardianship laws
• Program policies and procedures

Learn more about the Volunteer Advocates for Seniors Program or begin the process to become a volunteer. Call Vanessa Nathan, program coordinator, at 219-865-2141, ext. 45002, to have your questions answered.