Diane Shober, LSW (dshober@mssohio.org)
888-207-8472 or 937-605-5475
I-CARE Brochure
8th District representative
Bruce Gardner 937-304-8764
I-CARE PROGRAM THROUGH MASONIC SENIOR SERVICES
Linking Masons and Eastern Star Members to Community Resources
• The I-CARE Program, provided by Masonic Senior Services of Ohio, a subsidiary
of The Ohio Masonic Home, is a statewide, community-based program, with
Coordinators throughout the state.
• The I-CARE Program serves Masons, wives, and widows, as well as Eastern
Star members, helping them to maintain their Independence through Coordination
of community and governmental services, Assistance with applications, making
connections with service providers, and solving problems in those connections,
Referral to agencies offering resources or support, and Education on issues related
to accessing services and dealing with senior related issues.
• I-CARE Service Coordinators can help arrange for in-home services through the
community such as homemaking to assist with cleaning and shopping, personal
care, Meals on Wheels, medical transportation, and getting medical equipment.
Service coordinators can also assist with applying for benefits such as
Medicare, Veterans and Medicaid.
• I-CARE Service Coordinators may be contacted by phone, and they will go to
the person’s home for assessments and discussions.
• I-CARE coordinators support and accomplish training for a companion program
involving lodge and appended body I-CARE Committees.
• I-CARE Committees are comprised of fraternal and appended body members
and their spouses, relatives, and friends who will offer volunteer supportive services
to Masonic Seniors in cooperation with their local I-CARE coordinators.
• The I-CARE Program services are currently available at no fixed charge. We
encourage Masonic Seniors or their care-givers who use the service to consider
making a donation to The Ohio Masonic Home to help fund this program.
Offered by Masonic Senior Services of Ohio
7600 Dayton Springfield Rd.
Fairborn, OH 45324
937-525-4979/888-286-0010
http://www.ohiomasonichome.org
I-CARE Committees
What does an I-CARE Committee Volunteer do?
As an I- CARE Committee Volunteer you will work in partnership with the I- CARE coordinator, the Committee
Chairperson, and other volunteers to check in and reconnect with the elderly members and widows/widowers of your
lodge or chapter to check in on them and make sure they are doing well. You will also assist elders and adults with disabilities
to remain independent in the community by providing them with minor assistance that they may need. Committee
members have varied backgrounds and diverse skill sets.
Areas of assistance can include:
• Transportation such as church, doctor appointments, grocery store, lodge or chapter meetings etc.;
• Yard Work- rake leaves, snow removal, plant flowers, and minor landscape issues;
• Phone calls to provide emotional support "just someone to talk to". Make calls to widows and members unable to
attend.
• Friendly Visiting;
• Read newspaper/books to those with very poor vision.
• Assist with holiday cards (address, mail, pick up cards/stamps for those who cannot get out).
• Errands - pick up items at drugstore, grocery etc.;
• Read mail for those with poor eyesight.
I- CARE Mission
As an I- CARE Committee Volunteer your mission is to serve elders and adults with disabilities by helping them to remain
independent, living in their homes, and to age with dignity. In the efforts to serve seniors,
I- CARE will also revitalize community, stressing the importance of friends and neighbors. The I- CARE Program empowers
Masons to continue serving the needs of elders in community.
What does all this mean to you?
As a volunteer you will be doing nothing more than what you are already doing now! You are helping your fellow Masons
or Eastern Star members, their families and their neighbors. I-CARE gives you the structure and organization to
help you help more people. Again, it’s doing more of what you already do!
The first task given to the committees is to get together their list of widows/widowers and members over 65; break up
into groups according to the number of volunteers and make friendly calls to these people to check in on them and offer
your committee’s services.
Tasks Committees Have Performed:
• Assisted a Masonic widow with yard work.
• Driven a Masonic wife to a nursing home to visit her husband every day.
• Driven a Mason to his dialysis appointments on Saturdays.
• Shoveled snow for a widow who was in the hospital and ready to come home.
How to Get Started:
• The first step to getting started is to identify a chairperson for the committee who will be responsible for being the
primary contact for the committee and handling the referrals. The chairperson also has to submit a monthly log to
the I-CARE Coordinator of what the committee has accomplished for the month.
• The next step is to get volunteers. There is no limit on a number. There can be 2 or 200.
• The last step is to schedule an I-CARE Committee Training with your I-CARE Coordinator. The training lasts
about an hour and a half and then your committee is up and running!
Diane Shober, LSW, PSC at 937-605-5475 or 1-888-207-8472 dshober@mssohio.org
I-CARE Grand Lodge of OHIO: http://www.ohiomasonichome.org/icare.php