Respite Care

Senior Companions: Volunteers Who Give You a Break

senior companion

Volunteers keep seniors company and give caregivers a break

Did you know that there are programs across the U.S. that give caregivers a break? Their volunteers are available to spend time with your older adult.

 

National community service agency helps seniors

The U.S. government has an agency called the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS). One of their main nationwide programs is called Senior Corps.

Senior Corps connects adults aged 55+ with organizations that could benefit from their skills and expertise. It’s a great way for older adults to stay active and participate in their communities. One of their programs, Senior Companions, pairs active seniors with older adults who aren’t as independent or mobile.




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What the Senior Companions program does

The Senior Companions program recruits volunteers to give friendship and assistance to seniors who have difficulty with daily living tasks. Volunteers go through background checks and training in order to participate.

The volunteers are all aged 55 and over and, aside from companionship, can also help with things like shopping or paying bills. These Companions give family caregivers much-needed help so they have a chance to take care of themselves.

 

How to find Senior Companions in your area

  1. Go to the State Profiles page on the AmeriCorps & Senior Corps website
  2. In the View Your State section, select your state (or where your senior is located) and click “View Report”
  3. On the right hand side, click on the PDF titled “[your state] Service Locations” – it should be in a section titled “Year in Review” reports
  4. The PDF shows local service organizations by city and the types of programs available

Tip: In the PDF, even if a Senior Companion program isn’t listed in the “Program Type” column for the organization in your area, it’s a good idea to call and double-check. The website might not have all the latest updates.

 

Next Step  Find a volunteer through your local Senior Companion program

 

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By DailyCaring Editorial Team
Image: Family Services of Central MA

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6 Comments

  • Reply August 8, 2021

    Elizabeth Brashers

    Please note that Americorps/Seniorcorps has updated their website so your directions on how to find senior companions no longer apply and need to be updated. If you have any input to Americorps, could you tell them that their dropdown menus are IMPOSSIBLE to use? I am only 52 years old and think I’m pretty web savvy, but the hover function is a mess and disappears before you can get to any of the links.

    • Reply August 8, 2021

      DailyCaring

      We’re sorry for the inconvenience and wish we could help. We agree that their updated website is difficult to navigate. We’ve been trying to find updated links on their site to this information. So far there aren’t any clear ways to access this info, but we’re still working on it.

  • Reply January 13, 2019

    Pamela Schley

    Well, when I try to go to the Senior Companion page for information, the only thing I get is “You Do Not Have Permission To View This Content”. Not a whole lot of help. I tried other tabs on the page and all I get is information on how to JOIN the program, not how it can help me. I am already frustrated and this definetly does not make me any less frustrated,

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