The Willow Glen Resident

Photograph by Skye Dunlap

Delivery Service: Catholic Charities' volunteer Nancy Gonzalez hands groceries to Marian Bailiff, a Willow Glen senior who takes advantage of the group's Independent Aging Program.

Charity gives gift of mobility

By Cecily Barnes

Ninety-year-old Dorothy Trenouth lives alone in her Willow Glen home, unable to leave except for doctor's appointments and trips to the grocery store. Since Trenouth doesn't drive, or have any family that she speaks to, she relies solely on Catholic Charities' Independent Aging Program to get around.

"I wouldn't know what to do without Catholic Charities," Trenouth says. "Because I have to go grocery shopping and get to the doctor's."

And more than helping her get from point A to point B, the volunteers who drive Trenouth around are welcome company and someone to talk to.

"I usually ask for [volunteer] Jerome because he is such a good driver and he is so congenial," Trenouth says. "He's just a nice person to talk to. He's a very nice, courteous gentleman."

Catholic Charities' Independent Aging Program is a nonprofit organization that has assisted frail, homebound seniors in Santa Clara County since 1977. The group provides between 80 and 90 rides each month to its 110 clients, half of whom are in their 80s and 20 percent of whom are in their 90s.

"The philosophy of our program is to keep them living independently," said John Ruzzo, volunteer coordinator for Catholic Charities. "People are living longer so they really need the support."

Most of the clients Catholic Charities serves are also estranged from their families and have few friends. The volunteers that come to their homes provide much more than a ride.

"There absolutely are bonds formed. Some of our clients tend to request certain drivers, which we do if we can," Ruzzo said. "It's a social occasion for both."

Jerome Mundey, 69, has been a volunteer driver since 1989. He says he has always wanted to do volunteer work, and since he enjoys meeting people, the Independent Aging Program seemed like a good choice.

"I knew when I retired I wanted to do some volunteer work, and so I called Catholic Charities," Mundey said. "The nice feature about Independent Aging is that we wait for the client at the doctor's office. I always take a book of crossword puzzles."

To become a part of the program, volunteers must fill out an application, providing references and a printout of their driving record.

"Most of the people very much want to be independent, and I think that's what the program is helping them to do," Ruzzo said. "Even if you have family in the area that can help from time to time, you're not so independent. When they're a client of ours, they call up and say, 'I need to go get groceries' or 'I need to go to the doctor' and we send someone to get them."

Ruzzo says Catholic Charities is always looking for more volunteers. For information about how to get involved, call John Ruzzo at 282-8608.

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