Verde Valley Caregivers Coalition

Verde Valley Caregivers Coalition commits to supporting and encouraging older adults in their quest to age in place in their community of choice by enhancing their independence, promoting higher quality of life, and reducing barriers to happiness, making the Verde Valley an attractive and sustainable retirement destination.

About 65% of the older adults we serve are 80 years and older. Most of them live alone, can no longer drive, and many suffer from chronic illnesses. Our "neighbors" depend on us for life-saving services including transportation to critical appointments, medication pick up, physical therapy, dialysis, grocery shopping, other urgent errands, and pet assistance. As our elderly clients age in place, about 40% are doing so with their aging pets. For many of our elderly neighbors, they stay in their homes to be with their pets because they are often a primary source of emotional support and comfort. After responding to many emergencies with high-needs elderly and high-needs pets, VVCC has developed a pet program to aid with dire situations. VVCC's "Pets Count Too!" program keeps pets in place, providing emergency services including veterinary care, boarding, grooming, pet food and supplies.

Your gift during Arizona Gives Day will help fund services to keep pets with their elderly owners.

VVCC now serves 3,900 older adults and adults with disabilities throughout the Verde Valley. Because half of the clients we serve live at or below the poverty level, all of our services are provided to them at no cost through the efforts of 300 dedicated volunteers.

We provide services to clients in 10 communities: Camp Verde, Clarkdale, Cornville, Cottonwood, Jerome, Lake Montezuma, McGuireville, Rimrock, Sedona, and Village of Oak Creek. By the end of 2020, we project 500 additional seniors will need our services to help maintain their independence and quality of life.

VVCC depends on individual donors for over half its funding. Your gift today can turn your caring into action and help the seniors remain in their homes with their pets for as long as possible.

Testimonials

Ursula, 83, fell unexpectedly in her home, hitting her head. She pressed her Guardian Angel emergency alert button and EMTs quickly arrived. She needed to be transported to the hospital, but refused because she was worried about leaving her two dogs. VVCC Call Center staff persuaded her that she needed to go to the ER and that her dogs would be taken care of through the pet assistance program. VVCC arranged her transportation to the ER and for her beloved dogs, Romeo and Samantha, to be boarded in a local, dog-friendly kennel. It took a month before Ursula was ready to return home and several weeks more before she could take care of her "babies." Then, she and her dogs, safe and sound, were reunited. "Oh, my God, thank you," she said. She could not believe her good fortune in receiving the help she did for her dogs. The help gave her peace of mind so she could recover and heal from her injury. Ursula is still having some mobility issues, but she has her emergency alert unit, loaned to her by VVCC, and her babies are back home. "They make me smile," she says.