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CFS-TIPS Services Information

TIPS will provide services in a three phased approach
Please click any of the phases below to go to view it

Phase I - Phase II - Phase III

Phase I - Beginning in January 2009, TIPS will provide referral services for members by TIPS Preferred Vendors through a Call Center operation with the assistance of Senior Checked, a company that specializes in obtaining and vetting outside vendors or providers. Referrals to vetted and pre-qualified providers, contractors, and vendors will be provided at the request of the calling TIPS member. Services provided through the Call Center are contractual between the contractor/provider and the TIPS member.

The TIPS member will be charged for the services provided and pay the provider directly. If free services are available through Fairfax County, the caller will be made aware of those services and assisted in the request to obtain such services. Within a short time after the contractual services have been provided, TIPS or Senior Checked will call the TIPS member to ensure services were provided in a professional, responsive, and satisfactory manner. This, after-service appraisal, is an important step. TIPS will record positive comments regarding the service as well as taking immediate necessary action when and if negative comments are provided. The provider/contractor will be contacted with any reported negative comments. TIPS will also consider removing the name of the specific provider, should the situation warrant it.

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Phase II – Phase II will include expanded services using volunteers and partnerships with vetted contractors and local taxi services to provide regular transportation, handyman, cleaning and home repairs, and help paying medical and other bills. It will include the services described above for Phase I, along with an assortment of Volunteer services provided by TIPS Volunteers. Our goal in this phase is to add an extensive “neighbor-helping- neighbor” volunteer effort with volunteers who have passed a background check (to include criminal), and completed volunteer orientation and training. Volunteers will be selected to perform volunteer tasks based upon their background, expertise, training, and their preferred services. During this phase, a priority effort will be made to satisfy the request of a TIPS member with a TIPS Volunteer. When an appropriately qualified volunteer is not available, the TIPS requester will be informed and, with their approval, a contractual provider/contractor will be provided. In such instances, when a TIPS Volunteer is not available, it may also be possible to provide a volunteer at a later time or date, with the approval of the requestor.

Our interest is to solicit the assistance of volunteers, who live in the area, to provide many of the free typical services listed below. In some instances TIPS members may prefer to use and pay separately for the TIPS Preferred Vendors instead of TIPS Volunteers. Our goal and preference, however, is to encourage neighbor-helping-neighbors by assigning a TIPS Volunteer (when available) to perform the requested service.

As services are expanded in Phase II, so too will the annual membership fee. At this point in time, the starting date for Phase II is not established as we are still gathering the needs and desires of members and potential members. Once these are better known, a date and membership dues for Phase II will be shared with TIPS members and others.

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Typical Membership Services offered and/or provided through Volunteers:

	•	Transportation – Individual or group rides to doctors, friends, program events
	•	Household Services

	•	Errands to banks, mailing packages, shopping.
	•	Household cleaning – routine and heavy.
	•	Meals & Groceries – weekly grocery shopping or delivery, home delivered meal - casual or elegant. Occasional meal assistance.
	•	At Home assistance – with paperwork, bill paying, computer problems, sorting/disposing of stuff, and companionship. Help with vexing electronic issues, including computers, TV’s DVD’s, thermostats, and clocks.
	•	Gardening – advice or assistance.
	•	Light Home maintenance – like bulb changing, checking smoke detectors, flipping mattresses, etc.
	•	Home Repair and adaption – making your home and life easier and safer.

•	Concierge Services– Provided, for an additional charge, by one of our TIPS Preferred Vendors

	•	Rides for appointments, groceries, errands, to social & cultural events.
	•	Pick-ups – prescriptions, dry cleaning, mail while on vacation, packages, theater or symphony tickets.
	•	Take car, computer, printer, etc., for repairs.
	•	Wait for contractor or repair person.
	•	Arrange furniture, make safety enhancements and modifications.
	•	Water plans, check on house and mail while resident on vacation.
	•	Help organize, pack boxes, sort and reduce clutter, dispose of or donate items no longer needed or wanted.

Phase III – Phase III will include the services described above in Phases I and II, plus a fuller range of responses to TIPS member requests through a TIPS Call Center, staffed by paid TIPS employees. Final services planned for this phase will be consistent with the stated needs, desires, and preferences of TIPS members. To that extent, it can be expanded to provide what is wanted with the knowledge that required membership fees will have to be increased. It is expected that the annual membership fees at that time will be in the neighborhood of $1000 for Households and $650 for Individuals. TIPS is also exploring ways to subsidize services from some of their less affluent potential members through charitable donations.

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