Steuben County 'Reassure'
 
A Telephone Reassurance Program Designed to Reach Out to Senior Citizens
WHAT IS THE TELEPHONE REASSURANCE PROGRAM?

Telephone Reassurance is a program sponsored by the Steuben County Retired and Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP). The program provides a friendly and familiar voice to people who live alone and feel isolated from the community because of their homebound status.
HOW DOES THE PROGRAM WORK?   

After a new participant is signed up for the program, he/she is matched up with a volunteer who will make calls at a mutually agreed upon time. It is suggested that calls be made at least four times a week but, if the participant and volunteer agree, they can be made more or less frequently. If, for some reason, the participant will not be home at the agreed upon time, we ask that the volunteer be notified. We understand that this is not always possible, depending on the circumstance.

If the Reassure recipient does not answer his/her phone at the agreed upon time, a back-up system is put into effect.
HOW THE BACK-UP SYSTEM WORKS

After the volunteer has made several attempts to call and is unable to reach the Reassure Program participant, he/she will put the back-up system into effect.  When the participant signed up for the Program, a form was completed with name(s) of emergency contacts.  This list will be used if there is some concern expressed by the volunteer.

If the volunteer caller is unable to reach anyone on the back-up list, the police will be called to check on the individual's well being.
WHO IS ELIGIBLE TO RECEIVE REASSURE SERVICES ?
  1. Older people living alone with no one in touch on a regular basis.
  2. Newly discharged patients from the hospital who could use a Reassure call on a temporary basis.
  3. Those who have a fear of falling and not being able to summon help.
  4. Younger individuals with disabilities.
HOW DO I SIGN-UP ?
Anyone interested in receiving the Reassure service or who knows of someone, who would benefit from receiving a regular phone call, please call your nearest RSVP office.  (Note: Reassure is available free of charge to anyone wishing to subscribe.)
Bath Area:
RSVP
3 E. Pulteney Square
Bath, NY 14810
(607) 664-2298		 Hornell Area:
RSVP
Hornell Senior Center
20 Broadway Mall
Hornell, NY 14843
(607) 324-4892		 Corning Area:
RSVP
Corning Senior Center
1 Park Lane
Corning, NY 14830
(607) 936-4662
If you:
  • Have family living a distance away and miss having a regular phone call;
  • Are concerned about not having someone to check on you on a regular basis;
  • Feel as if you are isolated from the community;
  • Miss having someone to call and see if you are ok;

The Steuben County Reassure Program may be what you are looking for.
The main concern of the Steuben County Reassure Program is to eliminate concerns facing those who live alone, thereby assisting them to remain independent.
Reassure is sponsored by the
Steuben County Retired and Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP). 

Funding for RSVP Programs come from:

  • Corporation for National and Community Service
  • New York State Office for the Aging
  • United Way of the Southern Tier
  • Steuben County
  • Wayland Community Chest
Return to OFA Home page
Return to RSVP  page
Retrn to RSVP Services page