C.A.R.E. Tech Program

At the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, as care centers were closing their doors to visitors, Heart2Heart quickly reevaluated how we reach seniors. In 2020, we distributed 162 tablets to care centers, churches and individuals across South Florida. We wanted to make sure seniors could continue to connect to friends, family and Heart2Heart volunteers, even from quarantine.

With the launch of our first tablet program, the C.A.R.E. Tech Program was born. 

In 2022, we are expanding our digital outreach to seniors. We also have partnered with care centers to allow our volunteers to reach their residents by phone. 

The global pandemic continues to impact the aging community and close the doors of care centers. We recognize that we need to continue to be innovative in how we reach this vulnerable population. We need to continue to create bridges to allow our South Florida community to reach them and let them know that we are in this together. 

 

A black woman with purple hair uses an iPad to video chat with a friend.
A woman with a Heart2Heart polo holds an iPad.

iPads for Seniors

We launched our iPads for Seniors program on spring 2022. With the help of a grant, we’ve purchased 250 iPads to be distributed to 40 different care centers throughout Broward County.

iPads have arrived at care centers, and we are in need of 75 Digital Volunteers ready to connect with care center residents. Volunteers will be matched to seniors who don’t receive many visits from family or friends. The goal is to develop consistent relationships through weekly video calls with residents.

Volunteers will need access to the Zoom app from their own devices or computer. Care center residents will use a HIPPA-compliant program called Virtual Visits to connect with their matched volunteers. Virtual calls will happen during specific times, based on the needs of the center and the volunteer’s availability.

Digital Volunteers will be offered additional training for the program.

Our goal is to connect our volunteers to 150 seniors. Join us in the fight against loneliness and become a Digital Volunteer today!

 

Level of Commitment

Digital Volunteers are asked to commit one to two hours per week. The goal is to spend 30 minutes talking to each care center resident they’re matched with. They’ll be matched with two to four residents, depending on how many hours they want to volunteer.

C.A.R.E. Calls

Phone calls are a great way to connect with seniors who may be stuck in quarantine at a care center or isolated at home. Aging adults are already comfortable with using phones, removing a potential technological barrier. 

Heart2Heart has C.A.R.E. Call partnerships with specific care centers in the community. Volunteers are matched with individuals whom they commit to call weekly. The goal is to develop a lasting relationship that could even lead to in-person visits.

Level of Commitment

C.A.R.E. Call Volunteers are asked to commit to weekly calls. The goal is to spend about 30 minutes talking to each senior volunteers are matched with. Volunteers will be matched with one or two residents, depending on their availability.

A man with a blond beard makes a phone call using a landline at a black, mostly empty desk.

Join the Team!

Becoming a Heart2Heart volunteer means that you are dedicated to serving the aging community. It means you want to connect in a meaningful way to seniors. It means you are committed to a consistent amount of time per month – whether that’s several hours a week or just a few hours per month.

Heart2Heart volunteers must be background checked and trained. Our training is online, through an online portal. We run fingerprints in our office in Fort Lauderdale, and you can schedule an appointment with us after you finish the training on the portal.

The first step is to create a volunteer account on our portal. To get started, click the button below.