Stay Connected and Engaged with ONSCREEN: A program for seniors in the North Country.
ONSCREEN has partnered with the New York State Office for Aging, and Community Health Center of the North Country’s Community Friendship Volunteer Program (CFVP) to provide free ONSCREEN devices to local seniors. Designed to reduce loneliness and isolation, ONSCREEN turns a TV into an easy-to-use communication hub, enabling seamless video calls with loved ones with no technical expertise needed. Calls are automatically answered through the TV, making it simple to stay connected, even from afar.
“Alleviating isolation for our older residents is mission critical to our CFVP team. Our new partnership with ONSCREEN and the continued support from New York State Office for Aging and the Association on Aging has allowed us to have even more impact by installing ONSCREEN units with clients who need it most. ONSCREEN offers features such as telehealth visits with doctors, medication reminders, photo and video messaging, and an AI Companion for questions, or even a joke. This program is completely free for participants,” said Susan Schrader, CFVP Program Director in Franklin County.
Community Health Center of the North Country has been operating CFVP for over 10 years now. The mission is to provide friendship, companionship, and a helping hand to older residents, serving as their advocates, and helping them stay connected to their communities.
Schrader went on to say, “Upon install of four ONSCREEN units, I am amazed watching the initial reaction when the device is actually activated, and the senior begins to interact with it. The opportunity to rekindle memories and create new ones by connecting with friends and family is heartwarming. The ability to combat loneliness is mission critical, and ensuring their medication alerts are timely along with daily video check-ins assures loved ones the senior is safe; it gives everyone peace of mind.”
CFVP is based out of Community Health Center of the North Country's Malone health center. According to Ray Babowicz, Director of Communications and Strategic Partnerships, “Our program director coordinates volunteers and places them with individuals according to their needs or interests. Volunteers of CFVP carry out the following tasks: transport individuals to medical appointments, visit seniors in their home, coordinate activities like crafts, picnics, shopping trips and outings within the community, and provide respite for caregivers that may need a break from time to time.”
CFVP is unlike any other program found in the North Country region; it addresses very important unmet needs and is 100% non-income based. Many older residents lose touch with their community and, unfortunately, do not have the support they need to carry out daily activities. CFVP changes this and improves the lives of seniors by encouraging equity in aging.
Greg Olsen, Director of the NYS Office for Aging said “We are thrilled to partner with Community Health Center of the North Country and the Association on Aging in NYS to provide, test and measure the impact of Onscreen for consumers. Onscreen makes it very easy to connect with family and friends through their TV to combat social isolation and loneliness while also being able to provide health services seamlessly. Its functionality includes daily wellness visits, companionship, classes and events, as well as reminders and messages for medications, exercise and more.”
To find out more about the Community Friendship Volunteer Program and ONSCREEN, please contact Susan Schrader in Franklin County at 518-651-2535, and in St. Lawrence County, Cynthia Wells at 315-379-8107.
Community Health Center of the North Country, one of Northern New York’s premiere independent providers of healthcare services for people of all income levels, operates Full Service Family Practices in Canton, Gouverneur, Malone, and Ogdensburg. Services include but are not limited to: primary, pediatric, and dental care, behavioral health, physical therapy, care management, outreach and enrollment, WIC, and many programs for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Optometry services are also available at the Arsenal Street center in Watertown.
