Compassionate Companions – Travelers Aid Birmingham

Providing supportive nonemergency medical travel assistance for elderly and disabled adults

We are seeking individuals to help us build a robust Compassionate Companions volunteer base.

Key qualifiers include:

Be age 18 or older
Have scheduling flexibility
Have a heart for serving others, especially the elderly
Have an interest in human and/or health care services such as social work, nursing, physical therapy, speech therapy, etc.
Have an interest in developing intergenerational relationships

The average activities for a volunteer will include:

Signing up for a shift (shifts usually last for 2-3 hours) that works well with their schedule to take a client to and from their doctor’s appointments. Volunteers use our online scheduling system to match their availability with a clients’ appointment dates and times.
Either using their personal vehicle (if certified) or a third-party ride (funded by Travelers Aid) to pick up a client from their front door
Escorting the client to their doctor’s appointment while helping the client comfortably navigate long hallways, stairs, and other routes that may be difficult for the client due to limited mobility.
At the client’s request, sit in on medical appointments and take notes, ensuring the client can have all questions answered and feel secure with their medical treatment
Help the client back to their car, ensuring all mobility aids are properly stored during transit.
Travel with the client on the return ride home and escort the client to their front door making sure the client is safely indoors before departing.

Other volunteer activities may include:

Representing Compassionate Companions at client outreach and volunteer recruiting events.
Assisting staff with social media and other promotional materials.
Participating in learning opportunities to better understand the issues elderly and disabled adults are faced with

The process to become a Compassionate Companion volunteer includes: