What are friendly visits?
For seniors growing old at home, independence often comes at the price of isolation. Just like everyone, older people can take good care of themselves, but they need social support. A friendly face, a call on the phone, an occasional outing, or a ride to church can make a huge difference in someone's week. Friendly visitors are more than just an ear to listen; they can play cards or games, do puzzles, read aloud, listen to music, look at scrapbooks, and do other fun activities.

Volunteers are thoughtfully matched to a particular elder and the relationships are enduring. Volunteers who would like to do friendly visits make the commitment to visit "their" senior every week for at least an hour. Like our drivers, friendly visitors are trained, screened and insured by IVCG. Friendly visitors are present only for companionship and do not perform chores or patient care.

IVCG friendly visiting volunteers can also provide limited "respite care" for people caring for a senior with Alzheimer's or a related dementia. Provided the client is stable, our friendly visitor can provide a much-needed break for the care giver to go out shopping, attend to personal business, or just get a breath of fresh air! Call the office to see if your situation would work well with our visitors and their abilities. 

Positive results of friendly visiting include:

• Elders report that their volunteer makes it possible for them to go on living at home.
• Volunteers spot brewing problems and help find solutions before the "pot boils over."
• Families report that their concerns about their loved ones are alleviated.
• Healthcare providers report compliance with prescribed health regimens.​

COVID considerations: At the present time, due to health concerns, IVCG's ability to provide friendly visitors is extremely limited.  You are welcome to register with us and we will try to connect you to a volunteer in the future.