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Senior companions are friends to other elderly
Published Wednesday, November 30, 2005
By Jennifer Rogers, Tribune staff writer
It is a volunteer program for active seniors and a companion program for seniors in need.
The Senior Companion Program, of Lutheran Social Service and Catholic Charities, enrolls individuals 60 years of age or older who have the time to do what friends do for friends by assisting other seniors in need whose family may be too far away to be available to help with errands or to visit often.
“Senior companions don't take anyone else's job or do any other services for seniors, they are just friends and advocates for seniors,” said Doris Hagen, Senior Companion Program site coordinator. “They take seniors to any appointments they might have, they go grocery shopping, they spend time together, they visit relatives that the senior might not have seen in awhile. They do anything the senior wants to do.
“We have this one senior in the program whose husband goes to adult day care for Alzheimer's all day long, so she is alone all day long. She and her senior companion are planning a coffee party and having friends over.”
The Senior Companion Program was in Freeborn County approximately 30 years ago and has recently been taken over by the Winona Catholic Charities.
“In the last five years we've had one volunteer here, Virginia Hills, and now we are looking to expand the program and get more volunteers,” said Hagen. “There have been other companions in Albert Lea but they are retired now and no longer offering their services.”
Senior companions may see three to five people once a week. In return for their commitment of time, the volunteers receive a tax-free stipend to cover the cost of volunteering as well as mileage reimbursement, excess auto and liability insurance and other benefits, according to a press release from Lutheran Social Service.
To find out more about the program or to volunteer call Hagen at 402-4831.
The Senior Companion Program is part of the National Senior Service Corps, a “domestic Peace Corp” for seniors that taps the experience, skills and talents of older citizens to meet community needs, according to the press release.
Funding support comes from the Freeborn County United Way, the Corporation for National Service and the Minnesota Board of Aging.
(Contact Jennifer Rogers at jennifer.rogers@albertleatribune.com or at 379-3439.)
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