FRIENDS OF SENIORS OF DUTCHESS COUNTY CORP.

ADDRESS:  
42 Catharine St., Suite 110
Poughkeeepsie, NY  12601

PHONE:  845-485-1277

E-MAIL:  friendsofseniors@juno.com

We are a nonprofit organization that provides basic support services for the older adult community, age 60 and older. 

SERVICES:
1. We provide transportation to medical transportation, labs, physical therapy and same day surgery procedures.

2. We provide assistance with grocery shopping, either for or with a senior depending on the individual's need and preference.

3. We provide visiting services.

4. We provide telephone reassurance on an as needed basis.

5. We provide respite for primary caregivers.

6. If Friends of Seniors cannot help an individual, we will do our best to find an agency or organization that has the resources to meet the requested service.

Services are available in Dutchess County only. 

For medical appointments, we need at least 10 days to two weeks advance notice.  We ask that as soon as you make a doctor's appointment to please call Friends of Seniors as soon as possible.  First come, first serve.  The sooner we know when your appointment is, the better for you. 

We are not an emergency service.  If you are in need of immediate assistance and/or do have an emergency, please call 9-1-1.

We sometimes need to work with the families in regard transportation needs.

There is no fee for services provided, although we do have a suggested donation of $5 round-trip.  We are a 501(c)3.

We do not drive in inclement weather.  It is up the volunteer and the senior, but the rule of thumb is if the schools are closed, so are we.

We are sorry...Friends of Seniors cannot transport people in wheelchairs or on oxygen. We all use our own cars and are not equipped nor are we medically trained to transfer people in wheelchairs or take people on oxygen.  That said, call us anyway and we will refer you to an organization or agency that can assist you.

We do not take people to dialysis.  Again, call Friends of Seniors anyway, and we will try to help you.

Volunteers cannot provide hands on care, such as personal grooming, transferring to bed to chair, etc.  We are not qualified and therefore cannot administer medication.  We do not provide housekeeping services nor do we do outside chores - no snow shoveling, no mowing the lawn, etc.  We can give you information about where those type services are provided.

Medicaid recipients have medical transportation provided to them through Medicaid; therefore we do not transport people who have Medicaid.  If you are on Medicaid, call your case worker to inquire about obtaining a voucher for medical transportation.


VOLUNTEERS ARE THE BOSS!:
Volunteers are reimbursed .40/mile.  Volunteer work is flexible and up to the volunteer. Because of the nature of today's busy world, people who want to volunteer cannot always work within volunteer organizations' time frames. Friends of Seniors believes THE VOLUNTEER IS THE BOSS!

Your volunteer work is based on your availability.  When the program coordinator calls you to assist a senior, if you're available, then arrangements will be made.  Perhaps you have time only to take someone to their medical appointment, but no time to take that person back home.  Friends of Seniors will make arrangements with another volunteer to take the senior back home.  While you're out taking care of your own errands, you can pick up a senior, take him/her to the medical appointment and continue on with your day. Or while your grocery shopping for your own family, you can shop for someone who might not be able to get out to shop for himself or herself.  Or you can drop off the client at his/her appointment, run your own errands and then go back to pick up the client to bring him/her home.  

In addition, you schedule shopping, visiting, respite and telephone reassurance with the client at your convenience.


INSURANCE COVERAGE:
All volunteers  have excess coverage of up to $25,000 in medical coverage, $500,000 in auto liability and $1,000,000 in personal liability insurance coverage. In the unfortunate event that a volunteer is involved in an automobile accident while doing Friends of Seniors volunteer work, the volunteer must go through his/her insurance first.  If the costs are above the volunteer's own insurance, Friends of Seniors' insurance picks up the costs from there.  This is standard with all volunteer organizations.  However, if a volunteer is in a car accident, while doing Friends of Seniors volunteer work, Friends of Seniors will pay half your car insurance deductible if the following criteria has been met:  the volunteer has taken the NY State Driver's Course within three years of the date of the accident, and that we have a copy of the certificate on file, as well as a copy of your current driver's license, and current vehicle registration and insurance cards. 
 

Friends of Seniors is partially funded by the Dutchess County Office for the Aging.