Before LOGAN Protective Services became involved, their clients were among the most vulnerable members of our community. These adults with intellectual disabilities usually had no family able or willing to help. Many suffered exploitation, neglect, and abuse. LOGAN Protective Services has clients who are currently under LOGAN guardianship to ensure their care and safety.
Thankfully, they are stable now, and would greatly benefit from having a trustworthy friend who cares about their well-being and can help them with decision making. Volunteer Power of Attorney and Volunteer Guardians are individuals in our community who become friends with a client with the pure intention of helping them achieve the quality of life that they want and deserve. These volunteers are kind, honorable adults who care about and are capable of being strong advocates for their friends.
Such volunteers can provide the personal attention, love, and feeling of being part of a family that a professional guardianship caseworker, even the outstanding members of LOGAN Protective Services, just can’t match.
What is a Volunteer Power of Attorney and Volunteer Long Term Guardianship?
Guardianship
How Do You Become a Volunteer Power of Attorney or Volunteer Long Term Guardian?
The first step is letting us know you are interested. Our Director will meet with you and discuss your interest in volunteering and the full scope of what it can entail. We will do a background check to ensure the safety of our clients. Then, we will identify clients who might be a good match with you. A caseworker will then take you to meet one or two clients for a friendly visit. If a potential guardian and a client both are interested in becoming friends, you will schedule regular visits.
LOGAN Protective Services will review important information about the client with you including their abilities and their likes and dislikes. We will train you on what to look for when you visit your new friend to ensure they are in a happy, supported, clean, healthy living situation. We will ask you to take notes and communicate with us about your visits so we can assist you in helping and protecting your new friend. We are available to answer questions, provide resources and offer support.
In time, if the relationship is stable and positive for both parties and they want to move forward to a Volunteer POA, LOGAN Protective Services will help them take that next step. In this relationship, LOGAN Protective Services, as guardian, assign the Volunteer Power of Attorney. We then take a back seat, allowing the Volunteer POA to make decisions, attend doctor appointments and approve treatment plans, all of the things in addition to friendship that a guardian does.
Eventually, the Volunteer POA could make the meaningful commitment of becoming their loved one’s legal guardian. In this case, LOGAN relinquishes guardianship allowing the volunteer to become the successor.
The Volunteer POA or Volunteer Guardian relationship comes with the clear understanding that your friend needs a reliable, strong, engaged advocate and this step is intended to be a long-term commitment. It is a powerful choice that will change and greatly enrich both of your lives. If you should become unable to continue in your role, LOGAN will always be there to take over as Successor Guardian. We then provide follow-along support and advice as needed.
Contact us if you are interested in taking the first step to becoming a Volunteer POA or Guardian and we’ll set up a time to discuss the program options in detail. Your new friend is waiting to meet you!