Wishard Volunteer Advocates Program Recruits New Volunteers

Volunteer advocates assist most vulnerable patients

Contact: Todd Harper
Phone: 317-630-7808
Pager: 317-310-5972

Indianapolis, June 6, 2012 -- The Wishard Volunteer Advocates Program is currently recruiting volunteer advocates for its third annual training session. The program provides guardianship services to ill and at-risk adults and seniors who are hospitalized at Wishard and Indiana University Health hospitals.

Since its implementation in April 2010, the Wishard Volunteer Advocates Program has successfully provided guardianship services to incapacitated patients who are unable to act in their own best interest and lack family support and financial resources. The program serves Wishard Health Services and IU Health, two of the major health systems in Indianapolis.

"Our volunteers are trained, court-appointed advocates who protect the interests of the patients they serve both while the patients are in the hospital and after they have been transitioned to health care facilities or the community," said Robin Bandy, director of the Wishard Volunteer Advocates Program.   

The at-risk adults and seniors served by the Wishard Volunteer Advocates Program are incapable of representing or protecting their own best interests and are without suitable family involvement to help them make decisions. The role of the volunteer guardian is to assess the at-risk person’s life situation and facilitate health care and social services, plan for the appropriate residential placement, and complete required financial assistance applications.

The training session is scheduled for four weeks from August 7 to August 30, on Tuesday and Thursday evenings, 4:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. If you are interested in volunteering, please contact Anne Myers at 317-630-7516 or Anne.Myers@Wshard.edu.