Community Caregivers provides services that enable individuals of all ages to maintain their independence, dignity and quality of life within their homes and communities.
We accomplish our mission by offering non-medical assistance to local residents who might otherwise be hospitalized or institutionalized, and by helping home caregivers manage the physical, emotional and financial toll that continuous caregiving can take.
Who We Can Help
We serve residents in Albany County, for example the Towns of Berne, Bethlehem, Guilderland, Knox and New Scotland and the City of Albany. We now also offer services in Rensselaer County.
Our clients must be ambulatory on their own or with a walker. We cannot lift clients in and out of wheelchairs, and we do not transport wheelchairs.
There is no age restriction for our clients — we will assist adults aged 18 to 118. Minor children may be served, too, as long as a parent or legal guardian also becomes a client and agrees to stay with the child for the duration of any Community Caregivers service.
How We Can Help
Our services are funded entirely by donations, charitable gifts, grants, and fundraising activities. They are delivered by unpaid volunteers or paid staff members. Here are some ways in which Community Caregivers can help you, your family and your fellow community members:
- Transportation to and from scheduled appointments
- Grocery shopping and prescription pickup
- Basic paperwork tasks
- Referrals to other agencies and services (see list of links to other agency websites)
- Home visitation and telephone assurance calls
- Respite time for home caregivers (up to 1.5 hours once a week)
- Educational workshops and support for those affected by caregiving
Note that we cannot perform any hands-on or medical services such as bathing, bandaging, medicating or assisting with physical therapy.
Click here to learn about the process of becoming a Community Caregivers client.
Notes of gratitude from client families:
“I was able to drive my wife to many important doctors’ appointments, but it was a challenge to take her to routine appointments and maintain a consistent work schedule. Community Caregivers drivers were able to transport my wife to these appointments, enabling her to move along with her chemotherapy in a timely manner. The peace of mind this granted me was much appreciated. I will always be grateful for the service that Community Caregivers volunteers provide.”
– David L.
“Sadly, in February 2010 due to age and illness, my mother had to be placed in a nursing home. This difficult decision was not only hard on my mother, it was extremely hard on my father. They have been married for 67 years. The separation for my father (who is 91 years old) has been very tough.”
“Shortly after my mother’s admission to the nursing home, we contacted Community Caregivers for help. I cannot begin to tell how this wonderful organization has helped both me and my father. Two days a week, my father gets a ride to and from the nursing home to visit my mother. The kind, caring volunteers not only provide transportation, but conversation and companionship as well. As someone aged 91 and alone, he looks forward to the ride and the short visits in the car. It makes me so happy to hear my father praise these wonderful people.”
“Words cannot express my heartfelt thanks to those that volunteer at Community Caregivers. Some day when I retire, I hope to be of service to the organization and give back what they have given us.”
– Donna McD