F.A.Q

FAITH IN ACTION
Local volunteer caregiving programs bring volunteers of different faiths together to care for their homebound neighbors who may be isolated and living with chronic health conditions or disabilities.  These volunteers come from churches, synagogues, and other houses of worship, as well as from the community at large, and provide many forms of non-medical assistance, such as:

• Transportation to medical and other appointments
• Help with shopping, reading or bill-paying
• Minor home repairs
• Light housekeeping or meal preparation
• Friendly visiting and telephone support
• Respite care for family caregivers

Interfaith volunteer caregiving programs have been established according to a successful model:

BLOCK 1 - INTERFAITH

• Involve houses of worship in the coalition that represent the diversity of the community including Buddhist, Eastern Orthodox, Islamic, Jewish, Protestant and other faiths
• Engage a minimum of three different congregations in the coalition -- the more, the better
• Build partnerships with congregations and social service, health, and civic organizations
• Over time a coalition can grow

BLOCK 2 - VOLUNTEER

• Use volunteers from the community and faith congregations
• Support volunteers through training and screening
• Do not use health professionals to provide formal medical services
• Do not pay stipends to volunteers; reimbursement for expenses is allowed
• A full-time, paid program director organizes, trains, and supervises volunteers

BLOCK 3 – CAREGIVING

• Focus on informal care and help with everyday activities...- transportation- shopping and other errands- friendly visiting- respite for caregiver- light housework- telephone reassurance
• Build ongoing, one-to-one relationships
• Do not focus on prevention, education, research, or professional health care

.

BLOCK 4 – LONG-TERM ILLNESS AND DISABILITY

• Provide services for people of any age
• A program's focus can be age or disability specific, but it is not required
• Serve people with any type of long-term health need such as:- Alzheimer's- HIV/AIDS- arthritis- diabetes- cancer- mental Illness- frail/elderly

BLOCK 5 – HOME BASED

• Provide care where people reside...- private home or apartment- nursing home- Hospice home- group home
• Do not provide services at a day center or clinic. However, transportation to and from is appropriate
• Serve the "community at large," not a restricted population