Chattanooga Seniors

The Chattanooga Region's Interfaith Senior Services provides transportation to and from medical appointments for clients 65 and older. Clients must be able to walk without assistance from the volunteers but can use a cane or a walker. The current active case load of 35 seniors is provided services through about 100 volunteers. Volunteer Coordinator Emily Seymour acts as liaison between volunteers and clients, arranging the transportation and ensuring that the volunteer has directions and other appropriate information to assist the client.

In addition to meeting transportation needs, the volunteer remains with the client for the duration of the appointment, often quieting the fears many clients face when visiting the doctor, simply by providing a supportive presence. A number of clients have been using Interfaith Senior Services for many years and have grown attached to "their" particular volunteers. Though she has only been working with Interfaith for a few months, Seymour has already noticed how easily volunteers can grow attached to such grateful clients.

"One of my clients was in the hospital and called to let me know. Sue wanted to thank Interfaith Senior Services for everything that they had done for her and told me that she loved everyone at Catholic Charities," Seymour said. A few days after Sue returned home, Seymour visited her. Seymour recalls being "invited right in" and told "my home is your home."

Another client, Linda, was no longer able to drive for any distance but needed to maintain her car to transport her trash from her apartment to the dumpster at the other end of the complex. Linda phoned Seymour, with whom she had already established a rapport. Seymour immediately set out to find a solution, contacting a mechanic who assessed the problem and provided an estimate. Coordinating with Family Support Services, CCETN was able to pay for the needed repairs, eliminating a potential roadblock to Linda's continued independence. Though of small monetary value, the results were huge for Linda, who cannot walk for long distances, much less carry her trash.

Seymour cites these stories as just two examples of why she enjoys her work in the social service field. "Showing an act of kindness to someone is so easy. My life has been more blessed in these past few months than ever before."

For more information, please call us at (423) 267-1297.