APRIL ARTICLE: April is National Volunteer Month

April is National Volunteer Month - a time to celebrate individuals who generously donate their time and effort to make a difference in the lives of others and in our communities.

At Old Colony Elder Services (OCES), we are grateful for all of our volunteers who assist us in providing essential services to older adults, individuals with disabilities and others throughout the 23 communities we serve in Plymouth County and surrounding towns.

OCES has more than 800 dedicated volunteers supporting several programs. Volunteers for the Money Management Program (MMP) assist older adults and individuals with disabilities with bill paying, reconciling bank statements, and in special cases negotiating debt with creditors.

The majority of OCES volunteers serve our Nutrition Program. With the help of more than

600 Nutrition Program volunteers, OCES delivers over 2,200 nutritious meals every weekday, 550,000 meals each year, to older adults affected by food insecurity and social isolation in our service area as part of its Meals on Wheels Program.

• Help individuals and families navigate housing and other community resources;
• Provide mental health care for adults and children;
• Assist those who are experiencing food insecurity or malnutrition;
• Work to prevent, and address, neglect or abuse.
• Assist with foster care programs; and
• Help individuals manage and cope with chronic illness or disease.

Old Colony Elder Services (OCES) has a team of licensed social workers who can provide guidance on a wide range of life changes and challenges. OCES is proud to provide independent, conflict-free assessments, care coordination, administrative support for in-home and community-based long-term services through many different programs  including in-home behavioral health counseling. Working alongside OCES’ licensed social workers are care managers, protective service workers, administrative staff, and an extensive network of providers.

OCES’ expansive services offer support through more than 20 different programs including: a Nutrition Program with healthy meals planned by a Registered Dietician; a Healthy Living Program that includes management of chronic health conditions; and a Family Caregiver Support Program that provides caregiving resources. OCES provides community housing with supportive and congregate options. OCES’ Money Management Program offers budget and health insurance guidance. OCES’ Protective Services Program helps prevent, eliminate, or remedy situations involving the abuse of an elder.

Essentially, social workers provide guidance about a wide range of life changes and challenges – helping to prevent issues while presenting options for the future.

Join us as we celebrate social workers who are dedicated to making a positive difference in the lives of so many in our community.

According to Meals on Wheels of America, The Meals on Wheels network of community-based programs across the country collectively serve more than 251 million meals to 2.2 million seniors annually.

March for Meals is Meals on Wheels America's national campaign. It recognizes the Older Americans Act (OAA) Nutrition Program, the federal legislation that provides funding for nutrition services for seniors and helps support programs such as Meals on Wheels.

As the number of older adults experiencing food insecurity continues to rise, the need for senior nutrition services and Meals on Wheels increases. Essentially, more Nutrition program and Meals on Wheels volunteers are needed to help serve meals, pack meals and deliver the meals. Meals on Wheels volunteer drivers  deliver 15-20 meals a day, Monday to Friday to older adults in our service area.

Interested in helping others? Consider joining OCES’ volunteer team and enhancing people’s lives in your community. Opportunities include volunteering at one of our meal sites or delivering meals for two hours, at least one to two days a week. For more information, contact the Volunteer Department at OCES at (508) 584-1561.

OCES is a nonprofit organization providing in-home and community-based services for older adults and people living with disabilities in Southeastern Massachusetts. For more information about all volunteer opportunities, visit OCES’ website at ocesma.org/get-involved/volunteer-opportunities.

 Source: Meals on Wheels America. (n.d.) The escalating issue of senior hunger. https://www.mealsonwheelsamerica.org/learn-more/the-issue