Companion care is an effective way to reduce social isolation, a common but harmful condition among older adults. Here’s how we address it with our programs at A Helping Hand: We meet the client where they are The majority of our clients don’t have transportation available to them. Others have mobility limitations that make it... Continue Reading →
This month, as we recover from the madness of the holiday season, we’ve been taking time to reflect on our mission and what we want to focus on in this new year. This led us to the question, “What’s missing?” What’s missing from our programs here at AHH, what’s missing from our community, our culture,... Continue Reading →
A Helping Hand is proud of our internship program, and over the years we’ve shaped the program to positively impact our community and the world at large. Here are 15 ways the AHH internship program makes a difference: Providing access to healthcare for low-income seniors and adults with disabilities. AHH interns help their clients with... Continue Reading →
Matthew, one of our summer interns, had an eye-opening and transformative experience. As he told us, “Before my time with A Helping Hand, I thought I knew what life was like for the elderly. Like most kids growing up, I visited my grandparents a couple times a year, occasionally greeted an elderly neighbor, and frequently... Continue Reading →
April and May have been busy months here at AHH! We’ve had a lot of exciting events going on that we want to share. On April 19, in honor of National Volunteer Week, we hosted an appreciation event at Beer Study in Durham. Our volunteers enjoyed drinks, barbecue, and unlimited arcade games! Skee ball turned... Continue Reading →
Yasmin came to A Helping Hand as an intern in the fall of 2016. At the time, she wanted to go to medical school, but didn’t know what specialty she wanted to pursue. She didn’t have much experience working with older adults, but was interested in learning more about geriatrics and elder care. “[The internship]... Continue Reading →
As a new school semester dawned this past January, three of our former summer interns returned to A Helping Hand as volunteers. These three students had enjoyed their time as interns, but their schedules hadn’t allowed them to continue volunteering after their internships came to an end. Now that it’s a new semester and their... Continue Reading →
Today we have a guest post from Mallory, one of our volunteers, who shared a special experience with her client Ms. H. I thought it would be a great idea to bring Ms. H to lunch at my sorority house when she told me that she was previously a sorority house mom for another sorority... Continue Reading →
When potential clients and companions find out about A Helping Hand, the first person they meet is Denise. Denise Matthewson is our director of client services, which means she helps all of our new clients and companions through the onboarding process. For clients, this process typically starts with a phone call from a potential client... Continue Reading →
Two weeks ago, our new group of spring interns kicked off their internship with a day of orientation. Through this process, they learned the ins and outs of being companion. They discussed their perceptions of older adults, participated in a sensitivity training to simulate some of the physical impairments our clients experience, practiced using mobility... Continue Reading →
