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Community Caregiver Cooperatives
CCA proposes to demonstrate that quality of life can improve for caregiving families when they network with volunteers in their communities. Roughly modeled after a baby-sitter cooperative, the program will assist caregiving families and their volunteer sponsors in exchanging caregiving services with other families and sponsors using a time-credit tracking system. Care Circles of volunteers will be formed around each caregiving family.1 Typical services provided through this mutual work credit support network will include transportation to a doctor's appointment or respite visits to assist family caregivers in need of relief. Once provided, services are credited to the sponsored caregiving family who may then redeem them for another needed service. The Cooperative will recruit (and offer training to) participants and assist them as they schedule and track service exchanges using CCA's online or manual systems. A website and user-friendly online database will be available to help match volunteers and caregiving families. A manual system will also be available. As the network grows, the Cooperative may provide assistance to distance caregivers and add a worksite program. This system is particularly well suited for the growing number of community programs for aging in place (e.g., neighborhood villages, NORCs2), offering an alternative to fee-based concierge services.
1A Care Circle will consist of family, friends, colleagues and community volunteers who sponsor a caregiving family.
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A tax-exempt charitable organization since 2003