Project Grant 21SCBPR001

THE CENTRAL REGION BOARD ON ELDERLY AFFAIRS INC.( JUNTA CENTRAL PARA ASUNTOS DE LA VEJEZ INC. AS IN SPANISH), IS A NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION ESTABLISHED UNDER THE LAWS OF THE COMMONWEALTH OF PUERTO RICO SINCE AUGUST 1992. THE CENTRAL REGION BOARD HAS SPONSORED THE SENIOR COMPANION VOLUNTEER PROGRAM IN CAGUAS AREA FOR THE PAST TWENTY EIGHT YEARS (28). IT HAS ALSO PROVIDE A WIDE RANGE OF SERVICES TO MEET THE ELDERLY POPULATION NEEDS. OUR MISSION THIS THREE YEAR GRANT IS TO GIVE PEOPLES AGE 55 YEARS AND OVER THE OPPORTUNITY TO CONTINUE TO BE VALUABLE AND PRODUCTIVE MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY. DURING THIS GRANT 45 SC VOLUNTEERS, DISTRIBUTED IN FOUR VOLUNTEER STATIONS, WILL PROVIDE PERSON TO PERSON SERVICES TO 80 OLDER ADULTS AND INCREASE THEIR ABILITY TO REMAIN IN THEIR OWN HOMES ALLOWING THEM TO LIVE INDEPENDENTLY AS LONG AS POSSIBLE AND IMPROVED THE QUALITY OF THEIR CURRENT LIFE. THE VOLUNTEERS ALSO WILL PROVIDE A TIME OF TEMPORARY RELIEF TO CAREGIVERS, ALLOWING THEM TO HANDLE THEIR OWN NEEDS KNOWING THAT THEIR FAMILY IS IN GOOD HANDS. THIS WILL IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF LIFE OF BOTH THE CAREGIVER AND THE CARE RECIPIENT. EACH VOLUNTEER WILL PROVIDE AT LEAST 20 HOURS A WEEK OF SERVICE. SOME OF THE SCV ACTIVITIES WILL INCLUDE COMPANIONSHIP AND SUPPORTIVE SERVICES SUCH AS PREPARING MEALS, PERSONAL CARE, LIGHT HOUSEKEEPING AND ACCOMPANY TO MEDICAL APPOINTMENTS. THE PRIMARY FOCUS AREA OF THIS PROJECT IS HEALTHY FUTURES. OUR GOAL AT THE END OF THE THREE YEAR GRANT IS THAT OLDER ADULTS RECEIVING OUR SERVICES HAVE IMPROVED THE QUALITY OF THEIR LIVES, INCREASE AND PERCEIVE THEIR SOCIAL TIES AND HAVE BEEN ABLE TO LIVE AN INDEPENDENT LIFE AS LONG AS POSSIBLE. MORE THAN 500 EARTHQUAKES HAVE SHAKEN PUERTO RICO SINCE DECEMBER 28, 2019. PUERTO RICO DECLARED A STATE OF EMERGENCY FOLLOWING THESE EVENTS. THE REGION HAS NOT STOPPED SHAKING SINCE A LARGER 6.4 MAGNITUDE EARTHQUAKE ON JANUARY 7, 2020. TO THIS IS ADDED THE ARRIVAL OF COVID-19 PANDEMIC IN MARCH 2020. PROBLEMS LIKE GOING TO THE SUPERMARKET, WHICH REPRESENTS A PLACE OF CONTAGION, ACCESS TO MEDICINES, GOING TO MEDICAL APPOINTMENTS, MAINTAINING HYGIENE MEASURES AND CLEANING AT HOME, AMONG OTHERS, ARE AGGRAVATED FOR THESE ADULTS WHO MOSTLY DO NOT COUNT WITH RELATIVES OR CAREGIVERS AVAILABLE TO GIVE THEN SUPPORT. THERE IS AN ATMOSPHERE OF UNCERTAINTY THROUGHOUT THE ISLAND AND ANXIETY AMONG THE ELDERLY POPULATION HAS TRIGGERED. TODAY MORE THAN EVER THESE GRANT WILL HELP OUR ELDERLY POPULATION AS WELL AS THEIR CAREGIVERS TO MAINTAIN THEIR MENTAL HEALTH AND WELL BEING AND TO RECOVER FROM THE PANDEMIC. THE CNCS FEDERAL INVESTMENT OF $232,940 WILL BE SUPPLEMENT BY $35.941.00 OF NON FEDERAL RESOURCES.