GoCo is hitting the phone lines to check up on its clients amid the COVID-19 pandemic but is in need of more volunteers.
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The aged care service has had to stop its usual face-to-face meetings, close its offices and call off social group activities but doesn't want to be forgotten.
This all means a different approach is required to maintain social contact and duty of care, so staff in offices in Gunnedah, Tamworth, Kootingal, Nundle, Barraba and Narrabri are phoning clients to check in.
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"We've switched gears to prioritise phone contact for our clients by working through structured well-being calls," GoCo's executive manager Bruce Mercer said.
"The calls help us manage the risks for each individual client and understand the support networks they have in place, whether that be live-in family and carers through to minimal support where clients live alone with no outside support, except us."
GoCo has already made hundreds of calls to the most at-risk clients.
"Our first priority is our high-risk and high-needs clients," Mr Mercer said.
"This helps us to identify priorities or changes in a situation early."
Many of our volunteers are older people so we encourage other community members who are well and find themselves available to help.
GoCo services still in action include essential transport services, such as grocery shopping and medical appointments, care and housing support for people who are homeless or at risk of homelessness, Meals on Wheels in Barraba and Nundle and Home Care Package services across the North West.
"Our volunteer numbers have reduced as a result of COVID-19, which puts a strain on some of our key Commonwealth Home Support Program services, which are normally delivered by a team of community volunteers," Mr Mercer said.
"Many of our volunteers are older people so we encourage other community members who are well and find themselves available to help, to please contact GoCo to register as a volunteer."
Home Care Package services for people whose needs are more complex are unchanged, however, there have been a number of clients voluntarily restructure their services to have less contact with people outside their home.
GoCo partners, which deliver Home Care Package services, are committed to maintaining the essential services, however, GoCo is ready to change its approach if the current circumstances continue.
