Vol Opps for Caregiving

By: AARP Outreach & Service | Source: AARP.org | August 2008

Make a Difference to Friends and Family

  E-mail friends and family about the Caregiving pages on AARP.org. Be sure to visit our Navigating the World of Caregiving tool kit, which has such features as expert videos, checklists, and articles to share. You can click on "e-mail to a friend" from any topic.

  Order the "Caring for Those You Care About" CD-ROM. This disc allows you to print out up to 43 practical tip sheets. The information can help caregivers to find home help, quality living arrangements, and to navigate legal issues. Give copies to your office's human resources director, to a leader in your faith community, or to any other person who can print and give the tip sheets to caregivers who could use the information.

  Suggest the book "Caring for Your Parents: The Complete Family Guide" to your book group, to interested people in your faith community, or to a caregiver you know. Discussion questions are included in this tool kit (in a separate document).

  Become an advocate for caregivers: Find out what your state is doing about issues that are important to caregivers and to persons living with disabilities. Contact the AARP Advocacy Center or join Divided We Fail.   

Make a Difference at Your Job

Make a Difference in your Community

  Seek out information from our Navigating the World of Caregiving tool kit and print out or e-mail a relevant video, checklist, or article, to help the caregiver with a current challenge.

  Organize volunteers to enlarge the caregiving circle through Lotsa Helping Hands. This free, online tool organizes helpers who want to provide transportation, meals, and other tasks, while allowing caregivers to communicate, coordinate, and schedule their efforts.

  Encourage the caregivers to join the Caregiving Group in AARP.org’s Online Community. Once there, you can share thoughts, concerns, and tips on caregiving. If the caregiver doesn’t have time to do this, join as a friend and ask questions on the caregiver’s behalf.

  Help others find and apply for low- or no-cost programs that cover the cost of basic expenses (such as food, home-heating, medical care, or prescription drugs.)

  Volunteer at your local agency on aging to ask where your services are needed. To locate your local Area Agency on Aging (AAA), use the online Eldercare Locator or call 800-677-1116.

  Knit an afghan or prayer shawl and donate it to a place that takes donated knitted goods. If you want to knit or crochet simple squares that will be connected into afghans by others, visit the Warm Up America Web site.

  Become a hospice volunteer.