Training

Volunteers must participate in one group training session about working with the elderly before they are matched. The program tries to match a volunteer with a grandparent with similar interests as the grandparent, attempting to foster a lasting, meaningful relationship.

Volunteers will receive additional training and orientation at their site with the help of program directors and community partners at each individual site after matching has occurred.

Roles

Program Director
Each program director is assigned to one of the sites served by AAGP. It is the PDs' job to work with community partners to match volunteers and to do on-site training. The PD also organizes carpools and a group event for the volunteers and their grandparents each semester.

Head Program Director
The head program director manages the program as a whole, working with PDs to problem solve and improve the program. The HPD also works with PDs to train and match volunteers.

Community Partner
The community partner acts as our liaison between each site and Madison House. The CP works with the PDs to match volunteers and helps orient each volunteer to the site.

Volunteers
The volunteers are the heart and soul of Adopt A Grandparent. Volunteers are trained and matched with a senior from the Charlottesville community. They are expected to spend about an hour a week with their grandparent. The goal is to foster a meaningful relationship, making sure the grandparent feels valued and appreciated. Volunteers are encouraged to be consistent in their visits and to let their grandparents know when they will be absent due to sickness or school breaks.

Responsibilities

The Adopt A Grandparent volunteer establishes a special one-to-one relationship with an elderly person in the community who is either living at home or in a local nursing care facility. Although the needs of these seniors vary, each volunteer is meant to be a much-needed friend and companion to their "grandparent." Possible activities include going for walks, reading, looking at photos, and playing games. Volunteers are encouraged to participate in group activities with their grandparents and other AAGP volunteers such as caroling or arts and crafts projects once or twice each semester.

The time commitment for this program is one year. Volunteers are expected to visit their grandparents at least once a week for about an hour. In-home volunteers must feel comfortable working independently and be able to drive themselves; those in nursing care facilities will also work one-on-one, but they will be able to schedule their activities to fit into the daily routine of the facility. Also, students at nursing or assisted living facilities are asked to participate in car pools. Because of the nature of this type of volunteering, carpools are necessary to allow first years and other students without cars to volunteer. Interested students can sign up in the beginning of the fall semester at Madison House.