Volunteer Profile
Who:
Rob W.
What Rob Did before Volunteering With Us:
Rob managed computer system developers and was also an actuary before retiring and turning to volunteerism.
How He Learned About Us:
There was an article about the SOS Medicare program in a local newspaper.
Why Volunteering With Us Appealed to Him:
Rob’s father had Parkinson’s and eventually had to stay in a nursing home. Rob realized that he did not have the extent of knowledge that was needed to navigate the system. After his father passed away, Rob decided to become involved in counseling others about the complexities of Medicare.
While people who come to the SOS Medicare talks may not absorb everything on the spot, they at least know where to get help, thanks to this outreach program. The gratitude Rob sees on the faces of the people he helps is what makes volunteering worthwhile for him.
How Long Rob Has Volunteered With Us:
Rob has been an SOS Medicare volunteer for four years. Rob’s first two years coincided with the implementation of Part D, and so all of his counseling services and talks during that time period were about Part D.
Interests:
Rob spends a lot of his “free” time volunteering. He is on the board of directors for the Volunteer Center of United Way in Westchester County, New York. Rob is also on the committee of RSVP, a volunteer program for experienced adults. In addition, Rob is president of the board and cofounder (with Lois Steinberg, the Director of the Medicare Rights Center’s Westchester program) of the Center for Aging in Place Support.