The Solidarity Assistance Corps for the Seniors coordinated by the Ministry of Family and Social Policy includes primarily a dedicated helpline (22 505 11 11). It can be used by the elderly to ask for assistance – e.g., with shopping, walking their dog out and, more recently, with various on-line activities.

15,000 seniors have already requested support.

Those who wish to join the SACS can register via www.wspierajseniora.pl. You can also do this in person by contacting your local social welfare centre.

More than 10,000 volunteers and over 150 youth organisations have already declared their willingness to help.

We are moving a step further

You can help in many areas. President Andrzej Duda, who himself has been infected with the coronavirus, encourages convalescents to donate plasma, among others. It allows to easily treat others.

– But that is not the only possible thing that can be done by convalescents – stresses President Andrzej Duda. – Convalescents can also safely bring help where the numbers of persons with potential infections are a lot bigger. That what brought me to the idea to ask Minister Marlena Maląg to allow them the possibility to provide support in yet another form – adds President Duda.

The positive experiences of the Solidarity Assistance Corps for the Seniors caused to start another service – voluntary work of convalescents.

- People who have been infected with the coronavirus can safely help others, for instance the residents of social welfare homes. This is a beautiful and extremely valuable attitude of social solidarity and an expression of sensitivity to others – says Marlena Maląg, Minister of Family and Social Policy.

Who is a convalescent?

A convalescent is an individual with previously detected presence of SARS-CoV-2 by means of PCR or antigen testing (may have been infected asymptomatic or symptomatically with varying degrees of severity of COVID-19 symptoms) and who shows no signs of infection after completed isolation. A convalescent is a person in whom the symptoms of an infectious disease have subsided.

How to apply for help?

A person willing to volunteer in a specific social welfare home shall fill in an application form at www.wspierajseniora.pl, which is passed on through the CAS system to the specific social welfare home.

Importantly, is that the volunteer shall declare the fact of being a convalescent (i.e., a past COVID-19 infection) in the application form.

What forms of assistance can be provided by volunteers in social welfare homes?

• conversations with residents of social welfare homes
• catering
• organising activities for residents
• providing support to employees in taking care of the residents
• cleaning activities
• other (depending on qualifications).

At the beginning of filling in the application form, the volunteer indicates the specific activity he or she wishes to perform.

The director of the social welfare home or a person authorised by him/her receives the volunteer application in the CAS system and establishes contact with him/her. Later, the director of the facility concludes an agreement with the volunteering convalescent to regulate mutual rights and obligations.

– I have no doubt that Poles are able to be in solidarity. I strongly encourage those who have undergone the infection to join the Solidarity Assistance Corps for the Seniors. Your support is very valuable. We should be together at this difficult time – encourages Minister Marlena Maląg.