Volunteers are needed to advocate for local seniors in need.
The Johnson County Volunteer Advocates for Seniors and Incapacitated Adults program currently has 18 volunteers but will likely need to double that number this year in order to help seniors in need, director Joe Erickson said.
The program pairs advocates with seniors or other adults who need a voice to speak for them in court cases or their everyday lives. The goal is to help adults — especially seniors — who have no family, don’t have family in the area or whose family unfortunately is unwilling or unable to help them with details of their care, their finances and government assistance programs, such as Medicare.
A training is planned for people interested in volunteering from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. on today, Wednesday and Thursday, at the Northwood of Franklin Clubhouse, 2018 Cedar Lane, Franklin.
Volunteers will learn about the advocate program, the legal components of a guardianship, information about dementia and mental illness, ethics, the process of paying for long-term, palliative and hospice care, and how the system works in Johnson County, Erickson said.
Interested volunteers should contact Erickson at [email protected] before the training to fill out needed paperwork.
