CEI has launched an initiative to explore the viability of a volunteer community engagement network to assist and support older adults. An important first step in this process is collecting information from people living in Lincoln County, the oldest county in Maine, the oldest state in the country. Lincoln County residents are invited to take a brief survey which can be found online here: http://kwiksurveys.com/app/rendersurvey.asp?sid=oxt2uab56taoccu353228&refer= Individuals caring for older adults living in Lincoln County are also welcome to take the survey. Survey responses will be kept anonymous and confidential.

The ultimate goal of the project is to understand how to increase the number of individuals who might be interested in volunteering with older adults. This research will explore models that will increase volunteer activity, reliability, and sustainability.

“Most people are aware that Maine is the oldest state in the nation with a median age of 43 and a half,” said Carla Dickstein, Senior Vice President of Policy, Research and Development at CEI. “Older adults want to stay in their homes or communities. One solution lies in developing local volunteer networks to complement other home health services and help keep people at home as long as possible. Volunteers can help address a shortfall of care providers and the ability of some older adults to pay for care providers. This research is designed to understand the barriers to volunteering and ultimately come up with viable solutions.”

Funding for the project was made possible through a grant from the Maine Health Access Foundation.

The survey has 22 questions and takes approximately five to ten minutes to complete. For more information about the older adults initiative and survey, contact Carla Dickstein.