Senior Angels is a program that matches an "angel" volunteer with a senior citizen in order to bring encouragement and brighten the live of an elderly person. The goal of an "angel" volunteer is to show senior citizens that someone cares about them, loves them, and has time to be their friend and ease the loneliness that many senior citizens experience. There are many people across the country that live in various senior centers, assisted living facilities and retirement homes who are lonely and feel that they are forgotten. When you join Senior Angel volunteer program, you need to regularly communicate with one senior citizen by sending them letters, cards, holiday greetings, and perhaps a small gift for their birthday or on any other day "just because" to make them smile.
It's Very easy to join Senior Angel volunteer program and make a huge difference in someone's life.
Go to Chemo Angels website at chemoangels.net and click on Senior Angels tab located on the left hand <http://www.ehow.com/how_4747561_senior-angel-support-senior-citizens.html> side navigation menu.
Carefully review the website to familiarize yourself with the program requirements and ensure that you are ready for a serious commitment and dedication. All volunteers must be 25 or older.
Fill out an online Senior Angel Application Form where you need to indicate your contact information, introduce yourself, include your hobbies and interests (the program will try to match you to someone with similar interests), and provide a short statement why you would like to become a senior angel volunteer.
Once you are approved to be a senior angel volunteer, you will receive a welcome email notifying you that organization is looking for a senior citizen to "match" with you. The organization puts a lot of thought and consideration into matching senior citizen with the right angel. Once the match is found, you will receive your senior citizen's name, contact information, and a list of their interests/hobbies.
Begin writing and sending letters/cards/greetings to your assigned senior citizen. Feel free to tell about yourself, your interests, hobbies, and your daily life, but always remember to share only the good and positive! Do not share anything negative and do not discuss your own troubles, problems, or issues. Keep it all smiles and happy!
Remember that senior citizens who join the program are under no obligation to write back to you. You might never hear anything directly from your assigned senior citizen but the organization will notify you of any updates and will keep you in formed. Always remember that lack of responses directly from your assigned senior citizen is no indication of the impact you are having on your senior citizen's life.
Remember to send at least one letter or postcard per week. This is all it takes to reach out to an isolated and lonely person and show them that someone cares. You are making such a huge difference in someone's life!
Many senior citizens are in need in of extra love and attention, but they don't know about Senior Angels program that does exactly that - brings a special angel into the life of a lonely senior to show them that someone cares about them, loves them, and has time and desire to be their friend. If you know of a lonely senior who might benefit from this program, just help them to join. A few Steps are:
The program is open for seniors 65 years of age or older. Any lonely senior can apply. They could be homebound, or living in a nursing home, assisted living facilities, retirement home, etc.
An application must be filled out online. Go to Chemo Angels website at chemoangels.net and click on Senior Angels tab located on the left hand side navigation menu. Your senior friend must accept program's general terms & conditions. You cannot sign your senior friend without their full knowledge and consent, thus provide guidance and help during this process.
Fill out Senior Application Form and indicate your senior friend's contact information, their hobbies, interests, activities and things they enjoy.
Every senior must have at least one contact person - close friend, relative, caring neighbor or facility staff person who generally knows what is going on in senior's life. This person must have an email address. You can provide your information or help your senior friend identify someone who can be a contact on the application form.
The processing time for application is 5-7 days. The organization will find a match and assign an angel who will regularly communicate with your senior friend by sending them letters, cards, holiday greetings, and small gifts.
Encourage all lonely seniors to join the program. Help them sign up and watch them smile every time they receive a special letter from someone who cares. And if you have time and desire, join the program as well and sign up to be someone's Senior Angel!
Explain to your senior friend that they are not required to write back to their assigned angel if they don't want or simply don't have the means or energy. It is ok and they should not feel guilty.
