Care Team Ministry

Serving Neighbors in Need

A joint ministry of Anacortes Lutheran Church & Josephine Sunset Home
“Doing what a friend would do”

Lay Team Leader: Ida Ford

Meetings take place at 1:30 p.m. on the 4th Thursday of each month in the church Conference Room.

Care Team Ministry responds, free of charge, to the non-medical “quality of life” needs of individuals. The Care team, staffed by volunteers from the church, provide respite care for overburdened home care givers, socialization for frail elderly, and individualized support for anyone with special needs.

Care team members make a weekly commitment to calling, visiting, writing, or performing other activities within their comfort level.

Each month, Care team members meet to review their caring ministries. Through these team meetings, members provide each other with peer review and support.

Anyone can do it. The simple structure makes it easy to get involved and easy to stay involved. Because the ministry responds to individuals through a team effort, there is less burden to the individual caregiver and greater security to those being served.

The program's team-oriented structure helps the church to provide coordinated and consistent care. It's the team that's key: each team member receives the support and encouragement of every other team member...and no single member need feel overly burdened.

What Care Teams can do:

Providing assistance to individuals and married couples suffering from ill health.
Relieving a homebound patient's principal caregiver to allow that person to shop, go to church, or just have some free time.
Assist with gardening, light housework and home repair.
Providing transportation to medical or other appointments.
Reading to people or helping them write letters.
Bring occasional nutritious meals or treats for those for whom cooking is difficult.
Visiting, telephoning and just "being there," providing a little joy.

The benefits of Care Team Ministry:

Intergenerational teams of children, their parents, and grandparents can share their unique spirit and love.
Congregations come alive as they see the impact of their ministry within the community.
Caregivers, and the people they serve, discover the joys of giving and receiving.