Senior Companion Program and Respite Care

Telespond Senior Services, Inc.

Senior Companion Program & Respite Care

Telespond Senior Services, Inc., notes that consumers of the Senior Companion Program and Respite Care services benefit from assistance with activities of daily living which enable them to remain independent in their own home. Through Respite services, someone caring for older relatives is given the opportunity to run errands or pursue interests, knowing that their loved one will receive proper care. Trained Senior Companions provide companionship, helping hands and understanding to approximately 600 frail elderly in Lackawanna County each year. There is no charge for this program.

Senior Companions must be 60 years of age or older, low income, and residents of Lackawanna County, Pa. These volunteers serve twenty (20) hours per week providing assistance to frail elderly, while earning a tax-free stipend.

The Senior Companion Program Advisory Council advises Telespond and the project staff on the management and operations of the program. Quarterly meetings are held to discuss progress and management and also make any recommendations. Council membership is composed of Senior Companions, local individuals in the fields of aging and volunteerism, representatives from private non-profit agencies, as well as civic and service organizations concerned with the needs of older adults, and others who represent a broad cross-section of the community and are able to relate to the needs of the elderly population.

Can You Be Someone's Senior Companion?

Senior Companions are healthy older adults who help other adults live independently. Senior Companions provide support to family caregivers and assist with daily tasks necessary to maintaining independence. Without the help of Senior Companions, many older adults would not be able to continue living at home and would need more expensive, less personal care.

Senior Companions:

~ are over 60 years of age;
~ can volunteer 20 hours a week;
~ have a limited income; and
~ love to help their neighbors.

Senior Companions become part of a team of caregivers.They alert doctors and family members to potential health problems. Senior Companions also provide short periods of relief to primary caregivers such as family members. It's important to note that it isn't necessary to drive a car to be a Senior Companion. Almost half of Telespond's SCP volunteers take the bus to visit their clients.

As a Senior Companion, you'll receive:

~Pre-service and on-going training;
~ An annual physical examination;
~ Holidays and vacations;
~ Transportation cost reimbursement;
~ A small stipend for those who qualify; and
~ The joy of helping others live on their own.

The individuals helped by Senior Companions receive:

~Assistance with important daily tasks;
~ Encouragement to remain active;
~ A helping hand to make sure they take their medicine;
~ A watchful eye to notice when they need extra care; and
~ A friendship that can last a lifetime.

Enrich Your Life

You don't need medical or technical skills to be a Senior Companion. All you need to know is how to be a friend. Senior Companions offer adults contact with the world outside of their homes, and make their lives less lonely. Along the way, Senior Companions find out that few things feel as good as knowing you're needed.

Nationwide, in just one year Senior Companions:

~ Helped over 75,000 adults remain independent in their homes;

~ Served as the "eyes and ears" to identify necessary services for over 12,000 adults in need; and

~ Assisted with rehabilitation, therapy and exercise to more than 8,000 adults with physical disabilities.

The Senior Companion Program is sponsored in Lackawanna County by Telespond Senior Services, Inc., 1200 Saginaw Street, Scranton, Pa. 18505, and is funded in part by the Corporation for National Service, the PA Department of Aging through the Lackawanna County Commissioners and the Lackawanna County Area Agency on Aging, and the United Way of Lackawanna County.

If you would like additional information, please call (570) 961-1950 or e-mail the Senior Companion Program. Training sessions are held frequently.

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