DELAWARE INSURANCE DEPARTMENT'S ELDERINFO

What do the counselors do?

A large number of consumers request a meeting with a counselor so they can find out about their options and which of these options are best suited for them. It is the job of the volunteer to work through this issue with the consumer by looking at the coverage the consumer needs and the finances that they can utilized to pay for this coverage. All issues that are discussed at a session are issues that our counselors have been trained to discuss. Our counselors can always turn to the ELDERinfo Office for help if they have difficulty assisting a consumer.

We depend on our counselors to assist seniors with their health insurance needs. All of our counselors are volunteers. The services provided by the counselors are free of charge to the public. Our counselors are not paid. A counselor chooses one of our 35 sites located throughout Delaware, usually one closest to their home or work. They commit themselves to be available during a certain block of time each week. When a consumer contacts the ELDERinfo office, we pass on the consumer’s name and phone number to the counselor who makes their own scheduling arrangements. On the date of a scheduled appointment, our counselor goes to the site they have chosen and meets with the consumer. They sit down and discuss the problems or issues with which the consumer is having difficulty. The counselor explains in detail what the consumers options are and assists in finding coverage, if they can.

All of our volunteer counselors are trained by the ELDERinfo Office and receive a comprehensive manual. Training sessions are held throughout the year. In addition to the introductory training sessions, our counselors received continued training sessions to keep them up-to-date with any changes.

The ELDERinfo Office currently has 35 sites throughout Delaware. We have counselors at senior centers, libraries, and health care facilities. Our counselors must choose a site with which we are connected to hold scheduled meetings.

All of our counselors set their own hours. Some volunteer two days a week, one day a week, or every other week. Our counselors volunteer their time and choose their hours at their leisure. The ELDERinfo Office appreciates that when the hours are agreed upon that the counselor attempt to keep that schedule. Some counselors show up at the site even when no appointments are scheduled as consumers might just walk in. Other counselors only go to the site if an appointment is scheduled.