For Over 30 Years, Partners In Care Has Helped Older Adults Maintain Independence

From staying active and connected to receiving a helping hand, there are many services around the county designed to help retirees and seniors flourish.

Established in 1993 in Anne Arundel County, Partners In Care (PIC) is one of the most prolific nonprofit organizations dedicated to serving seniors in the greater Severna Park area. PIC’s mission is to “help older adults (ages 60 and up) live independently in their own homes and actively engage in the community.” The organization does this through “a unique culture of service exchange in which members volunteer their time and talents to help each other with neighborly services such as transportation, handyman repairs, person-centered support, and social engagement. In exchange, those members ask for assistance when needed.”

Essentially, seniors can help one another by exchanging different forms of service. PIC’s nearly 2,700 members receive assistance with transportation – whether rides with volunteers or on a PIC mobility bus – to run errands, go to doctors’ appointments, and more. They can also get help with simple home repairs such as the installation of bathroom grab bars or fixing a leaking faucet, helping them maintain a safe living environment.

Members who are not able to provide rides or repairs give back to their fellow members through making friendly calls, writing birthday cards, or making donations.

“Older adults want to be independent – they don’t like to ask for handouts – so when they call to receive services, they don’t feel like they are asking for a handout or charity because they do their part,” explained PIC CEO and President Mandy Arnold. She added that PIC’s model of service exchange and time banking allows members to maintain their dignity and respect by doing their part in the mission.

One member shared about their experience with PIC in a testimonial: “Partners In Care have provided me with transportation, maintenance services and referrals to others for additional services. I use a wheelchair to go out; there are no family members nearby to help me. I have been facing multiple medical challenges as well as problems with my house. Partners In Care have been invaluable in providing transportation with a wheelchair lift to get me to ongoing medical appointments. Their maintenance staff have come to my house many times to help with household issues. … Partners In Care has exceptional staff who go out of their way to consistently and reliably assist me.”

In Fiscal Year 2024, PIC reached several milestones: volunteers helped provide 5,352 rides, complete 6,367 tasks, and perform 348 handyman services. Today, PIC serves members in Anne Arundel County, Frederick County, Montgomery County, Washington County and parts of Maryland’s Eastern Shore.

Arnold has a vision for PIC to expand to every county in Maryland, and perhaps one day, to every state in the U.S.

“The need is growing rapidly – every day, there’s more and more people in need because people are living longer and they want to age in place, they want to stay in their homes, so you need services like Partners In Care,” Arnold said.

To learn more about volunteering with or receiving support from PIC, go to www.partnersincare.org or follow the nonprofit on social media.