Whom do we serve?
Frail or vulnerable Allegheny County residents aged 60 and older
are eligible for IVC's free services without regard to income, race,
or religious affiliation.
The Allegheny County Area Agency on Aging, home
health agencies, hospitals, family and friends refer clients to IVC.
IVC does not proselytize, and there is no fee for service.
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What do we do?
IVC strives to meet the in-home, non-medical needs of Allegheny County's seniors
who struggle to live safely and independently and maintain a vital social connection
to their community.
Through IVC's Faith in Action Caregiving program, volunteers provide practical assistance
to their elderly neighbors in a wide variety of ways, including:
- Transportation & escort to medical appointments or worship services
- Assistance with grocery shopping
- Friendly visiting
- Running errands
- Telephone reassurance
- Assistance with correspondence
- Snow shoveling
IVC belongs to a regional collaborative network of Faith in Action agencies that serve western Pennsylvania.
If you are looking for volunteer caregiving services in one of the counties surrounding Allegheny County, please
visit the Faith in Action/IVC of the Alleghenies web site or call 412-307-0071
for information about other local programs.
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IVC also manages Safety for Seniors, a service project that conducts free home safety assessments and
educates older adults about how they can prevent fires and falls at home.
In addition, IVC provides extensive telephone-based Information & Referral service.
Please call us at (412) 345-7420 to speak with someone about your situation, sign up for a
safety check, or request a caregiving volunteer.
Safety for Seniors
Safety for Seniors educates older adults about how they can make their homes
safer, thus preventing injury and allowing them to maintain an independent
lifestyle. The program offers:
- Presentations on home safety
- Residential safety assessments
- Installation of smoke detectors, bathroom grab bars and staircase hand rails
- Referrals to other agencies for critical home repairs
Safety for Seniors recruits, trains, and mobilizes community-based volunteers
to provide these services to their neighbors in need. It is a service project ideally
suited for groups, including college students and corporate volunteers, or individuals.
Volunteer training and orientation will be provided by IVC staff.
The Safety for Seniors program has three levels of service:
- Tier One - Trained volunteers conduct a brief but thorough home safety
assessment using a written checklist. They install smoke alarms and nightlights
and provide baking soda, a bath mat, and a flashlight along with some basic home
safety information.
- Tier Two - A professional contractor assigned by IVC completes minor safety
modifications recommended by the volunteers in the initial assessment. Generally,
this level of service entails installation of grab bars or hand rails.
- Tier Three - IVC identifies outside service providers that can complete major
home repair/modifications recommended in the Tier One needs assessment. IVC
staff will assist clients in determining their eligibility for home repair programs
and applying for them.
The Safety for Seniors initiative is supported in part by generous contributions from:
- Allegheny County Health Department
- Equitable Resources Foundation, Inc.
- United Jewish Federation Urban Affairs Foundation
- Ursuline Senior Services Staff
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