Volunteer. Guardian
Advocate for Those Who Can't
VASIA Volunteer Guardians help people who require assistance with decisions due to their health issues — such as dementia, mental illness or a traumatic brain injury. Your advocacy would include:
- Connecting them with services that help them maintain independence while assuring health and safety.
- Examining their environment to ensure their living situation is safe. This evaluation does not necessarily mean a change to a residential facility, but may mean the assistance of a service provider.
- Eliciting the assistance of friends and neighbors to provide safety factors to assist the person.
Volunteer Guardian Requirements
If you are interested in becoming a VASIA Volunteer Guardian, you will need to:
Be a minimum of 21 years old.
File an application.
Complete an interview.
Pass a background check.
Complete training
Volunteer Guardian Application
If you would like to apply to be a volunteer, click to download and complete the following file, then submit to Lauren Rynerson at lrynerson@co.johnson.in.us.
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Request an Interview
Volunteer Guardian FAQ
Typical questions while considering a volunteer position.
What is the time commitment for volunteer guardians?
Volunteer Guardians should expect to put in an average of six hours monthly. The time commitment will vary according to the need of the protected person.
What is it like to communicate with the clients?
Communication with the protected person may be hampered by cognitive decline due to impairment. Patience is a welcomed attribute in being a volunteer guardian.
How do you apply to become a volunteer guardian?
You can apply by filling out the volunteer guardian application form and scheduling an interview to determine whether this opportunity is what you are seeking.
What is a typical volunteer guardian schedule?
Usually, a volunteer guardian will be able to set their hours. However, consent for a change of medications or the need for emergency care may be needed at about any time.
Who is responsible for training?
VASIA helps prepare volunteer guardians by offering training and tools.
Training Topics
What you learn while preparing to become a volunteer.
Guardianship Law 101
This training provides information on Indiana’s guardianship laws with emphasis on the following topics:
- Procedural: How is guardianship established?
- Alternatives to guardianship
- Overcoming challenges associated with Indiana’s guardianship law and practice
- Due process and how it relates to guardianship
Conditions of Aging and Affecting Capacity
This training focuses on the following topics:
- What happens as we age?
- Major topics in geriatric care: incontinence, falls.
- Dementia, delirium, and how those differ from mental illness.
Paying for Long Term Care
In this training, we will answer the following questions:
- What are Medicare and Medicaid?
- What do Medicare and Medicaid pay for?
- When do Medicare and Medicaid pay?
Resources for Seniors and Incapacitated Adults
This training answers the following questions:
- What resources are available and for whom?
- Who initiates a referral?
- How to initiate a referral?
- What role should a volunteer advocate have in the service delivery team?
Palliative Care
This training helps in making difficult end-of-life decisions by providing information on the following:
- Palliative care and hospice services.
- Ethical issues in end-of-life decision making.
Standards of Practice and Code of Ethics
This training covers the following topics:
- Least Restrictive Alternative.
- Self-determination of patient.
- Medical decision making.
- Confidentiality and conflicts of interest.
- Relationships, informed consent, and standards for decision making
Adult Protective Services
This training provides information on what Adult Protective Services does and how they do it.
Training Resources
Watch videos and find information related to becoming a volunteer guardian with VASIA of Johnson and Shelby Counties.
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