|
Just who is the typical volunteer, and what
commitment does the volunteer make to GSI?
The volunteers . . .
Range in age from 21 to 78 (The oldest to serve was 86 years old!)
Spend an average of 2 hours, 45 minutes per
client, per week
Serve an average of 2 years, 7 months (One
volunteer has been on the same case since 1988.)
Serve an average of one client at a time (Over 30 volunteers serve two or more clients at the same time.)
Duties and responsibilities of volunteer guardians are defined by the Texas Probate Code and by court order. Generally speaking, the duties may include:
Advocating for the needs of the guardianship
client by arranging for needed social services and monitoring the quality of care provided
Managing the client's financial affairs by receiving payments, paying bills, maintaining financial
records, and securing and managing assets
Caring for the health needs of the client by
arranging for, and authorizing, medical treatment
Visiting the client regularly
Volunteer time varies, with one-two hours per week being minimum. The volunteer meets the potential client before he or she commits to becoming a guardian.
Duties of the Money Management Volunteer include
Bill Payer Program:
Reads and sorts mail
Pays bills
Writes checks (all checks are signed by the client)
Balances check register to bank account
Maintains records and files
Reports to GSI
The client maintains control and makes decisions
concerning his or her finances. The volunteer assists
exclusively with tasks the client is unable to perform.
Representative Payee Program:
Receives and manages government benefits (i.e., Social Security)
Ensures that the individual client's basic needs are met
Reports to GSI
Visits with the client to assess whether basic needs are being met
Performs bill paying and balancing activities for the
client.
The volunteer representative payee is responsible for
dedicating and allocating the client's government funds in order to meet the client's basic needs (such as food, clothing and shelter).
|
|
