Medical Appointments:
- The I CARE office hours are from 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM Monday-Friday.
- You may make up to TWO requests (two rides) per month, but they cannot be in the same week.
- We ask that you call at least 7-10 business days in advance to your appointment. The more time you give us, the better chance we have of finding you a Volunteer Driver.
- When you call please have the following information available; date, time, Dr.’s name, complete address with city and zip, and the phone number.
- Please be mindful of your Volunteer Driver’s time. If you know you will have a long appointment or that your Doctor tends to run late, please let us know. That way we can make sure your Volunteer Driver has set enough time aside for your appointment.
- Please try to make your appointments between the hours of 10:00 AM and 2:00 PM. We understand that sometimes you might need to make appointments at other times and we will do our best to accommodate you whenever possible.
- Please do your best to keep your appointment and be sure to call the office if there are any changes to an appointment that you have already called in. When you change or cancel your appointment at the last minute, it might affect our ability to get you a new Volunteer Driver.
- Please remember that the person who drives you is volunteering their time to drive you and they are not being paid or reimbursed. If you have a concern with a Volunteer Driver, please call the I CARE office and speak to the Program Coordinator and not the Volunteer Driver. We want this to be a pleasant experience for both you and the Volunteer Driver. Without our wonderful Volunteer Drivers, we would not be able to provide our service.
- You are responsible for all parking fees that your Volunteer Driver may incur while you are at your appointment.
- Your Volunteer Driver is asked to take you to and from your medical appointment, only. We understand that sometimes you might have a prescription to pick up, following your appointment. While you may ask the Volunteer Driver if they can stop, they are under NO obligation to do so.
Grocery Shopping:
- We ask that you call at least 7-10 business days in advance of the day you wish to go grocery shopping. The more time you give us, the better chance we have of finding you a Volunteer Driver.
- When you call, please have the following information available: the date and time you wish to shop, and the address of the grocery store. The store should be “local” – one that is a relatively easy/direct ride from your home.
- Please try to make your shopping trip between the hours of 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. We understand that sometimes you might need to shop at other times, and we will do our best to accommodate you whenever possible.
- Volunteer drivers will pick up clients at their homes, drive clients to the grocery store, wait in the parking lot while clients shop, and return clients to their residences. Drivers are not obligated to accompany clients inside the store or to help them with their shopping.
- Similarly, drivers are not obligated to unload groceries at a client’s residence or carry groceries inside a residence.
- This service involves transportation to and from grocery stores only. I CARE does not, and cannot, drive clients to other retailers/destinations. Similarly, volunteer drivers are not obligated to make additional stops when taking clients to and from a food store.
- Requests for transportation to a grocery store should involve shopping for at least a dozen or so food items. In other words, I CARE rides are designed for picking up more than just a few groceries.
- Please be sure to call the I CARE office as quickly as possible if you need to change or cancel your shopping trip. When you change or cancel your trip at the last minute, it might affect our ability to get you a new Volunteer Driver.
- Please remember that the person who drives you is volunteering their time and that they are not being paid or reimbursed. If you have a concern with a Volunteer Driver, please call the I CARE office and speak to the Program Coordinator and not the Volunteer Driver. We want this to be a pleasant experience for both you and the Volunteer Driver. Without our wonderful Volunteer Drivers, we would not be able to provide our service.
Again, if you have any questions or concerns about any of the guidelines, please feel free to call us. We strive to help as many DeKalb County senior clients as possible. Please remember that your appointment is very important to us, but it is a request. Unfortunately, there may be occasions when we are not able to accommodate you.
