Spring open house is set for March 22

Community Caregivers is hosting a spring open house, “Meet Community Caregivers,” on Thursday, March 22, from 4 to 6 p.m. It will take place at the Community Caregivers’ office at 2021 Western Ave, Suite 104, in Guilderland.

Area residents who are interested in learning about our “neighbor helping neighbor” services for themselves or a loved one should stop by. Resources to support family caregivers will be available. Also welcome are prospective volunteers; please read Judy Rothstein’s piece below.

Community members who are thinking about what it takes to live at home as they grow older are invited. The open house will offer information about local efforts for “aging in place” and the nationwide Village Movement.

This free event will feature light refreshments and experienced staff members will be on hand to answer your questions. Call 518-456-2898 for more information or for directions to the open house.

I was talking with Linda Miller, Caregivers Outreach and Education coordinator, last week. The Volunteer Support Committee is in the throes of planning the April Volunteer Appreciation Luncheon and we needed to get our site firmed up. Linda had just conducted an orientation with three people. All three committed to becoming volunteers.

Linda explained that there is also an open house on March 22 so that the community can stop in and ask questions, see where Community Caregivers “lives,” and find out how they can help. I asked how she was going to get information out about these open houses. She listed a number of venues: newspapers, church bulletins, Facebook.

“However,” she said, “you can advertise all you want, but if people aren’t ready, it won’t move them.”

The three new volunteers were moved.

The over 60 volunteers who came to the Appreciation Luncheon last year were moved. We’d love to have all our volunteers come to the luncheon. It’s April 18 at the Guilderland Public Library.

As we continue to reach out to the community, please call us if we can help; we also continue to reach out to our community neighbors to consider becoming a volunteer.

Life changes. Retirements are coming up. You might soon become empty nesters. You might have a parent who lives outside our service area and you want to do something to help in your area that would honor them.

Maybe none of these things are happening, but you have time and you want to help people in your community. This last reason is actually how Community Caregivers got started in the first place back in 1994.

People needed help then; they need it now. There were people who volunteered their time and talents and treasures then, and we need them to do that now.

Here is the volunteer orientation schedule for spring 2018:

— Tuesday, March 20, at 1 p.m.;

— Tuesday, April 10, at 1 p.m.;

— Thursday, April 19, at 11 a.m.;

— Tuesday, May 8, at 2 p.m. in Delmar; and

— Thursday, May 17, at 11 a.m.

All sessions are held at our office at 2021 Western Ave, Suite 104. To register: call 518-456-2898 or email volunteer@communitycaregivers.org.

Put Become A Volunteer on your to-do list and contact us when you’re ready. Perhaps we will see you at the open house!

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Community Caregivers Inc. is a not-for-profit organization that provides non-medical services, including transportation and caregiver support at no charge to residents of Guilderland, Bethlehem, Altamont, New Scotland, Berne, Knox, and the city of Albany through a strong volunteer pool of dedicated individuals with a desire to assist their neighbors.

Our funding is derived in part from the Albany County Department for Aging, the New York State Office for the Aging, and the United States Administration on Aging. To find out more about our services, as well as volunteer opportunities, please visit www.communitycaregivers.org or call us at 518-456-2898.

Editor’s note: Judy Rothstein is a Community Caregivers board member.