Volunteer Advocates for Seniors Program

SSFHS Saint Margaret Mercy Hospital

The Volunteer Advocates for Seniors Program is a volunteer limited guardian program designed to address the critical health care, social service and legal representation needs of the growing population of ill and at-risk incapacitated seniors in the Northwest Indiana Region. The VAS Program began as a partnership between Saint Margaret Mercy Hospital and the Lake County Superior Court and has been developed as a "best practices" model program for collaborative problem-solving between hospital healthcare providers and the Courts across the state and the nation.

The statutory authority for the program was enacted and is under Indiana Code 29-3-8.5. It is funded by hospital healthcare providers, individual donors, special events and local, state and national foundation grants.

The VAS Program serves as the limited guardian of the person. The Program recruits, trains and supervises volunteers to serve as limited guardians appointed by the Lake Superior Court. They are sworn-in as Officers of the Court and as Certified Volunteer Advocates for Seniors.

The VAS Volunteers act as representatives of the VAS Program and are charged with investigating and assessing the incapacitated person's life situation (including locating relatives when possible); facilitating health care, social service and legal representation decision-making; planning for appropriate residential and treatment placements and services; and providing the Court with recommendations for long-term planning and decision making for the individual.

The Volunteer Advocates for Seniors Program is a member of the National Guardianship Association and follows the Standards of Practice and Code of Ethics set forth by that professional organization.