The Pulse | Fall 2024

Activity Partner Program – by Brian Fox

Conversely, how are caregivers supposed to maintain their hobbies, interests, and connections if they aren’t confident in stepping away from their loved ones?

SourcePoint has hundreds of different activities going on any given week, ranging from discussion groups, art courses, wellness exercises, music, and more — but none of that does a whole lot of good if you can’t leave your care receiver’s side for even a short while at a time.

Likewise, your care receivers are just as unlikely to get out and try new things or stay connected to the hobbies they loved before a disability made it more difficult if you aren’t the ones taking them to and from each session.

What if a program could match existing SourcePoint members and caring volunteers from the community who share a similar interest with your care receiver?SourcePoint’s ACTIVITY PARTNERS program does just that — similar to a volunteer senior companion program but with access to a whole community center’s entire course catalog!

So, here’s my ask:

Contact me by phone, email, or during my Drop-in Hours (M, W, F from 10-3) if you’d like to learn more about this volunteer program we’re calling the ACTIVITY PARTNERS. Volunteers are not guides or chaperones but mutual friends helping one another experience community in ways they may have previously thought unavailable to them. The best part: each ACTIVITY PARTNER pair will have support from SourcePoint staff to help select programs and schedules that match their interest and availability. This is a completely open-ended, flexible program where each pair gets to decide on their own time spent!

Thank you for your time! If you’d like to learn a little more about what science has to say about the importance of socializing, check out this article from SourcePoint’s Caregiver Corner e-news, “Do you have a Third Place”

Caregiver Program Coordinator, Brian Fox. Brian can be reached by e-mail at bfox@MySourcePoint.org or by phone at 740-203-2399.