M4A is always looking for volunteers who want to use their time, talent, and energy to impact the lives of older adults and individuals with disabilities across their local community. Here are a few ways you can volunteer:
State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP)
Provides assistance to Medicare beneficiaries and their caregivers in understanding Medicare and other health insurance benefits including Medicare, Medigap, Medicare Advantage, Medicaid, and long-term care insurance. SHIP is designed to assist Medicare beneficiaries in specific areas such as home health benefits, Medicare claims and appeals, and other similar issues. SHIP provides group presentations by dedicated SHIP counselors on a variety of health insurance topics.
SHIP volunteers can use their talents by becoming certified Medicare counselors, assisting with outreach and giving education presentations, attending health fairs and other outreach events, or assisting with administrative tasks at the M4A office.
Office of the Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program
Ombudsman volunteers assist the Community Ombudsman by conducting routine visits, helping to educate the community, and assisting with general outreach activities. They provide an extra set of “eyes” for the Community Ombudsman in helping him monitor what goes on inside long-term facilities.
The M4A Ombudsman Program serves as resident advocates for adults residing in nursing homes and assisted-living facilities in Shelby, Chilton, St. Clair, Blount, and Walker Counties. The M4A Ombudsman Program exists to address complaints and concerns of nursing home and assisted-living residents, and, when possible, resolve those issues to the satisfaction of the residents and/or their legal representatives. The Program also educates people in the community about the role of M4A Ombudsman representatives in nursing homes and assisted-living facilities. M4A Ombudsman representatives also help promote the program called Gateway to Community Living, which is a Medicaid Waiver program that allows nursing home residents, who are qualified for the program, to transition out of the nursing home and back into the community.
Volunteer Opportunities Form
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