The Senior Companion Volunteer Program

The Senior Companion Volunteer Program was designed to help assist Senior Citizens to be independent and stay in their own homes longer than they may be able to without a volunteer friend to help them out. One of the Senior Companion Volunteer activities may be respite care. A Senior Companion Volunteer may help a caregiver get a much needed break.

Some common signs of caregiver stress are:

• Anxiety
• Guilt, anger or resentment toward the senior they are caring for
• A decline in personal physical or emotional health
• Anxiety about aging and feeling overwhelmed
• Loss of free time and neglect of self
• Sleep disorders or exhaustion
• Lack of time or energy to do things for their own enjoyment
With the help of the Senior Companion Volunteer Program, the caregiver will know that on a specified day they will have some free time for themselves when the Senior Companion Volunteer is there to relieve them. This helps not only the caregiver get a break, but also helps our Senior Clients by giving them an additional person to visit with, play cards, go out to lunch or just stay home and share any concerns they may have.
    by Lori Gerih
             SCVP/COMPASSIONATE CONNECTIONS