IVC connects neighbors facing challenges related to aging, disability, or adversity with volunteers and resources to support independent and fulfilling lives.  With the help of our caring volunteers, IVC provides help with transportation, errands and shopping, meal preparation, chores, respite care, companionship, and cultural and recreational activities.  IVC primarily serves Bainbridge Island residents though surrounding areas sometimes are served.  Island Volunteer Caregivers meets needs not filled by local agencies and provides free services for older adults and persons with limitations.

Volunteer Caregivers offered at Island Volunteer Caregivers

Provides help with transportation, respite care, meal preparation, chores, companionship and shopping.  Serves primarily Bainbridge Island residents.

Programs that provide a brief period of rest or relief for family members, guardians or others who are regular caregivers for dependent adults by offering temporary or intermittent care for the adult in their own home.

Adult In Home Respite Care

Family service organizations, shelters, senior centers and other community organizations that are actively seeking individuals with the requisite skills and experience who are willing to work on a voluntary basis without remuneration on a variety of projects that seek to replace, augment and/or expand the protection, supervision, care and support that are provided through the primary family unit and strengthen families and the communities in which they live.

Family Services Related Volunteer Opportunities

Programs that offer the services of individuals who are available to make short trips to purchase groceries, pick up prescriptions, withdraw or deposit money in the bank, drop off or retrieve laundry and do other small tasks for older adults, people with disabilities and other individuals who cannot leave their homes or are otherwise unable or prefer not to perform these tasks for themselves.

Errand Running/Shopping Assistance

Hospitals, clinics, hospice facilities and other health care organizations that are actively seeking individuals with the requisite knowledge, skills and experience who are willing to work on a voluntary basis without remuneration providing supportive services for people who have illnesses, injuries or disabilities; or supporting other health/disabilities-related projects.

Health/Disabilities Related Volunteer Opportunities

Programs that provide a brief period of rest or relief for parents, grandparents, guardians, family members or others who are regular caregivers for dependent children by offering temporary or intermittent care for the child in their own home.

Children's In Home Respite Care

Provides a broad spectrum of high quality health care services, with special concern for the poor and oppressed. Provides emergency room and level III trauma care; dialysis treatment; family birth center; rehabilitation for illness, surgery, injury, heart attack, or stroke; cardiology (24/7 emergency treatment of heart attacks) sleep disorders center; wellness classes, adult volunteer opportunities, and home health services.

Hospital offered at Providence St Mary Medical Center

Provides a broad spectrum of high quality health care services, with special concern for the poor and oppressed.

Hospitals and other health care facilities that provide 24-hour diagnostic and treatment services for people who have acute, life-threatening injuries or severe illnesses.

Emergency Room Care

Mutual support groups whose members are pregnant individuals or individuals who have had difficulties in areas relating to family planning, pregnancy and childbirth. Included are groups for individuals who are pregnant for the first time, individuals who are contemplating a home birth, breastfeeding individuals, families making decisions relating to birth control, individuals who have had a cesarean birth, who are at high risk for a problem pregnancy and parents of premature or high-risk infants. The groups meet in-person, by telephone or via the Internet; and provide an opportunity for participants to share their experience, strengths and hopes, understand their relationships and work through related emotions.

Pregnancy/Childbirth Support Groups

Programs that offer classes or other educational experiences which prepare prospective mothers and their birth partners emotionally and physically for the labor and birth process. Topics covered include anatomy and physiology of birth, relaxation and breathing techniques, different types of labors, birthing/delivery options and postpartum care. Also included are programs that prepare other members of the family (grandparents and siblings) for the arrival of a new family member.

Childbirth Education

Programs that offer the services of paraprofessional aides who provide personal health care services which do not require special technical training, in the homes of recently discharged hospital patients, elderly individuals and people with disabilities. Services are provided in accordance with a written home health care plan and may include feeding, bathing and grooming patients; changing their beds; taking their temperature, pulse or respiration; helping them to the toilet or to use a bedpan; and other types of assistance that enhance their physical and emotional comfort. The home health aide may also perform other activities as taught by a health professional for a specific patient including changing a colostomy bag; assisting with the use of devices for aid to daily living; assisting with prescribed range of motion exercises; assisting with prescribed ice cap or collar; doing simple urine tests for sugar, acetone or albumin; measuring and preparing special diets; measuring fluid intake and output; and supervising the self-administration of medications (reminding the individual to take the medication, opening bottle caps, reading the medication label to the individual, observing the individual taking medications, checking the self-administered dosage against the label of the container and reassuring the individual that they have obtained and are taking the correct dosage).

Home Health Aide Services

Programs whose home health care services are provided by registered nurses with specialized training in the rehabilitative and restorative aspects of patient care who provide basic nursing services, patient and family education, therapy practice and support to help people with chronic and disabling conditions realize their rehabilitation goals and return to an optimum level of functioning.

Rehabilitation/Restorative Home Nursing

Programs that are staffed by specialists who provide comprehensive medical management including preventive, diagnostic and treatment services for individuals who have diseases or other conditions that affect the heart, lungs and blood vessels. Cardiologists manage complex cardiac conditions such as heart attacks and life threatening abnormal heart beat rhythms in settings such as coronary care units of hospitals.

Cardiovascular Medicine

Hospitals that have trained trauma surgeons and anesthesiologists who are available on an on-call basis 24 hours per day to treat critically injured victims of traffic accidents, fires, gunshot wounds or other injuries during the crucial "golden hour" when their surgical needs are highest.

Trauma Care

Programs that provide comprehensive preventive, diagnostic and treatment services for individuals who have any of a variety of conditions in which they have difficulty falling or staying asleep, abnormal behaviors during sleep or difficulty staying awake.

Sleep Disorders Clinics

Programs that provide follow-up medical care for women during the first six weeks following delivery to ensure that they are recovering normally from childbirth.

Postpartum Care

Programs that offer individual and/or group sessions which assist participants to understand how their lifestyle impacts their physical and mental health and to develop personal practices that enhance their total well-being. Wellness programs are holistic and combine a variety of components which may include a general physical examination that is tailored to the individual's needs; an evaluation of the person's pattern of exercise, eating habits, sources of stress and other lifestyle elements that are potential risk factors; and the development and implementation of an individualized plan for prevention management and early intervention to optimize health and performance which may include physical fitness sessions, nutrition counseling, stress reduction techniques, biofeedback, practice in assuming responsibility for one's choices, and other specific measures for avoiding physical and mental health conditions.

Wellness Programs

Health care facilities that are licensed to operate 24 hours per day and offer diagnostic and treatment services as well as emergency and critical care services for people who have any of a variety of illnesses or injuries which require immediate, short-term intervention.

General Acute Care Hospitals

Outpatient facilities established by the community or a hospital that provide dialysis equipment which people who have impaired kidney function or no kidneys can make appointments to use to remove toxic materials from their blood and assure an appropriate fluid, electrolyte and acid-base balance.

Dialysis Centers

Programs that provide intensive rehabilitative services on a 24-hour basis for patients who are severely disabled as a result of injury or disease. Services include a thorough evaluation of the person's abilities and disabilities and the development and implementation of a rehabilitation plan which may incorporate physical, occupational, speech and/or other types of therapies; education about modifications in lifestyle which may be necessary including information about diet, exercise and stress reduction; guidance in using adaptive devices which maximize the person's functional abilities; and counseling for the person and/or significant others to facilitate a positive adjustment to the person's current condition. Inpatient rehabilitation services may be provided by general acute care hospitals or skilled nursing facilities.

Inpatient Rehabilitation

Programs that provide dialysis equipment in a hospital setting that people who have impaired kidney function or no kidneys can make an appointment to use to remove toxic materials from their blood and assure an appropriate fluid, electrolyte and acid-base balance.

Hospital Based Dialysis

Programs that provide facilities and/or necessary medical attention for individuals who are ready to give birth.