By Janie Riebe
NewBridge Madison

NewBridge (formerly North/Eastside Senior Coalition, West Madison Senior Center, South Madison Coalition of the Elderly and East Madison/Monona Coalition of the Aging) offers Volunteer Guardianship and Representative Payee programs for adults age 50 and over who live in Dane County but don’t have anyone to help meet their needs. The need for volunteers is great, and the impact they make is invaluable.

This impact is demonstrated by what happened to Lee, a 72-year-old man living in Madison. Lee was found by police wandering outside on a cold November night. The police brought him home only to find that he had no food or furniture in his apartment, so he was taken to the hospital for assessment. Lee was found to have dementia, and it was not safe for him to return home. He needed placement in a supported environment, a court-appointed guardian, and someone to pay his bills and manage his Social Security, but he had no one to make those decisions. 

Lee found the help he needed from the Volunteer Guardianship and Representative Payee programs through NewBridge. Lee now lives in a setting that can meet his daily needs and ensure that he remains safe and well cared for.

If you are interested in learning more about making a difference in the life of another person like Lee, contact Katie at 251-8405.