The post sponsors: Volunteers support seniors with correspondence

Created: 01/13/2022, 08:49 AM

From: Charlotte Borst

A volunteer and a senior citizen chat in the living room during a visit.

(Symbol photo) © Sebastian Gollnow / dpa

It can be quick.

Suddenly you're in the hospital - and letters are piling up at home.

Volunteers are now helping seniors deal with the correspondence.

District

- A hospital stay, then to rehab.

Weeks go by and letters are left lying around at home.

This is unsettling and sometimes even fatal.

There could be important matters to be settled or deadlines could pass.

The senior citizen outreach work in the district office offers support to elderly people. Sonja Burchert and Dorothee Weber set up the “Postpaten” project. “The need is there,” says Dorothee Weber, a good 30 seniors are interested. The idea: Volunteers help older people organize their correspondence. They discuss and process official letters together and, if necessary, assist in filling out forms. They help with the compilation of documents for applications, are in regular contact with the senior counseling service and are in contact with other post-godparents. Travel costs are reimbursed by the District Office, in addition, the volunteers are invited to exchange meetings with other post sponsors and to further training by the Münchner Bildungswerk,informs the district office in a press release.

"We are still on board"

“We're still on board,” says Dorothee Weber.

The social pedagogues in the district office are not only there for all seniors from the age of 60 and offer them support with all questions about coping with everyday life.

Volunteers are also given professional support.

Older people are often helped when someone is there to help them open the mail.

Is that advertising?

Do I have to answer that?

Dorothee Weber reports: "Some seniors also want their e-mails to be scoured." Because processing letters from public utilities, health insurance companies or other authorities can often save a lot of trouble.

“For example, when an application for exemption from broadcasting fees has to be filled out,” Weber gives an example.

Project is running in the state capital with great success

For volunteer work, you should, among other things, have fun working with people, empathy, tolerance and openness to issues relating to old age, according to the district administration.

Older people can also turn to the Senior Citizens' Service if they want to take part in the project.

The post godparents are already working successfully in the state capital, says Dorothee Weber.

Now she hopes that they will also find their way into the district.

Because of the increasing number of elderly people, home visits became more and more important.

with mm

You can find more news from the Munich district here.