Project Grant 20SCSMS003

AN ESTIMATE OF 52 SENIOR COMPANION PROGRAM VOLUNTEERS WILL SERVE. SOME OF THEIR ACTIVITIES WILL INCLUDE: PARTNERING AND COLLABORATING WITH GULF COAST VETERANS ADVOCACY COUNCIL, INC. TO RECRUIT AND SERVE LOCAL VETERANS. SUNFLOWER HUMPHREY COUNTIES PROGRESS INC.'S (SHCPI) AND THE SENIOR COMPANION PROGRAM (SCP) WILL CONTINUE OUR PARTNERSHIPS WITH LEGAL SERVICES AND LAW ENFORCEMENT AND LOCAL DISTRICT ATTORNEY OFFICES AND SOUTH DELTA AREA ON AGING AGENCY OMBUDSMAN COORDINATOR TO PROVIDE ONGOING TRAINING ON PREVENTING ELDERLY ABUSE AND WORKING WITH OUR NURSING HOMES VOLUNTEER SITES TO ASSIST IN RECORDING FACILITY EXPERIENCES. SHCPI AND THE SCP PROJECT WILL CONTINUE TO ADDRESS HEALTHY FUTURES WITH THE PARTNERSHIP OF MISSISSIPPI STATE UNIVERSITY EXTENSION SERVICE OFFICE OF NUTRITION WITH REGULARLY SCHEDULED ACTIVITIES WITH VOLUNTEERS AND CLIENTS TO STRESS THE IMPORTANCE OF HEALTH AWARENESS AND HEALTHY YOU. FOR THE PAST TWO YEARS, MLK DAY OF SERVICE ACTIVITIES HAVE BEEN HIGHLY REQUESTED BY BOLIVAR COUNTY COMMUNITY ACTION AGENCY RAPID RE-HOUSING HOMELESS PROGRAM. THE GOAL OF THE HOMELESS PROGRAM IS TO COLLECT 500 HYGIENE PRODUCTS FOR INDIVIDUALS. SAVING THE HOME: PREVENTING FORECLOSURE WITH THE "MAKE HOMES AFFORDABLE PROGRAM" IS ONE OF MANY WORKSHOPS THROUGH THE SCP PARTNERSHIP WITH GUARANTY BANK AND DELTA HEALTH ALLIANCE THROUGH FINANCIAL LITERACY TRAINING PROGRAMS. THE PRIMARY FOCUS OF THE SENIOR COMPANION PROGRAM AREAS ARE: HEALTHY FUTURES, ENVIRONMENTAL, VETERANS AND MILITARY FAMILIES, EDUCATION, ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITIES AND DISASTER SERVICES. OUR SCP HAS BEEN FORTUNATE TO HAVE SOME DEDICATED VOLUNTEERS IN OUR PROGRAM WHO HAVE SERVED OVER 27 YEARS. SHCPI RECOGNIZE THE NUMBER OF SUNFLOWER, HUMPHREYS AND BOLIVAR COUNTY RESIDENTS OVER THE AGE OF 55 YEARS OLD IS EXPECTED TO INCREASE OVER THE NEXT DECADE. ADDITIONALLY, AS OUR POPULATION AGES, THERE HAS BEEN AN INCREASE IN THE NEED FOR HOME HEALTH CARE AND CASE MANAGEMENT SERVICES, ESPECIALLY FOR PERSONS 70 YEARS AND OLDER WHO STILL LIVE IN THEIR OWN HOMES. AS OF TODAY, WE HAVE SERVED 172,000 HOURS TO VARIOUS TARGETED COMMUNITIES. THE PROPOSED GOALS ARE AS FOLLOWS: 1. EXPANDING THE QUALITY OF LIFE WITH THE SCP VOLUNTEER'S ASSISTANCE 2. DECREASING HOSPITAL VISITS FOR HOME ALONE CLIENTS 3. PROVIDING MONTHLY TRAINING TO ENSURE SAFETY 4. EDUCATING OUR LOCAL AND STATE POLICY MAKERS ON THE PROGRAM IMPACT 5. CONDUCTING YEARLY COMMUNITY ASSESSMENT 6. NETWORKING WITH LEADERS IN THE MEDICAL, NURSING, SOCIAL WORK FIELDS 7. DECREASING CLIENT INSTITUTIONALIZATION 8. LOCATING COMMUNITY RESOURCES IN EDUCATION, TRANSPORTATION, HEALTH AND WELLNESS 9. BUILDING A SUPPORT TEAM FOR CAREGIVERS AND CLIENTS 10. RECOGNIZING SCP VOLUNTEERS IN A TIMELY MANNER. AS WE MOVE FORWARD WITH THE NEXT THREE- YEAR GRANT, WE WILL RECRUIT 130 CLIENTS AND RETAIN AT LEAST 110 CLIENTS IN THEIR HOMES. THE CORPORATION FOR NATIONAL COMMUNITY SERVICE'S FEDERAL INVESTMENT WILL BE USED EFFECTIVELY AND EFFICIENTLY, TO ACHIEVE THE GOALS OF PREVENTING ISOLATION AND RETAINING OUR CLIENTS IN THEIR HOMES IN THE THREE COUNTY AREAS.