Developing a comprehensive Senior Companion program with a faith-based partner
Abstract
The Salvation Army Senior Companion Program (SCP) in Newark, New Jersey, has 105 Senior Companions serving 384 clients in Essex and Hudson counties in northern New Jersey (2002). Services are provided to clients at home, in adult daycare, and in other facilities such as hospitals and housing communities that provide direct aid to the elderly. These Senior Companions address many needs including rehabilitation, nutrition, translation, meal preparation, respite care, counseling, companionship, and transportation. There are 23 volunteer stations, each guided by a site supervisor and supported by centralized program management. This effective practice from project director Dorothy Thompson provides a comprehensive approach to providing services with Senior Companions that is notable for the number of volunteers and clients, the range of services, and for its faith-based partnership.Issue
Many adults with special needs, especially the frail elderly, need extra assistance to live independently in their own homes or communities. There are about 17,000 frail seniors in Essex and Hudson counties in New Jersey suffering from osteoporosis, rheumatoid arthritis, hypertension, Alzheimer's disease, and dementia, as reported by the National Center for Health Statistics and the Alzheimer's Association. Senior Companions provide essential services that help seniors retain their dignity and independence and avoid expensive institutionalized care.Action
The Salvation Army Senior Companion Program in Newark, New Jersey, has 105 Senior Companions serving 384 clients in Essex and Hudson counties in northern New Jersey (2002).
Services are provided to clients at their homes, in adult daycare, and in other facilities such as hospitals and housing communities that provide direct service to the elderly. These Senior Companions address many needs including rehabilitation, nutrition, translation, meal preparation, respite care, counseling, companionship, and transportation. There are 23 volunteer stations, each with a coordinator/site supervisor who coordinates volunteer services. The Salvation Army Senior Companion Program in Newark, New Jersey, is notable for its program management, its faith-based partnership, and for its range of service sites, including in-home care, adult day-care, counseling centers, and others. Effective practices in these areas include:
Program Management
- A full-time project director.
- A part-time project coordinator.
- Twenty-three site supervisors, one at each of the volunteer stations, who work with the clients and the Senior Companions.
- A clear procedure for handling new clients. Each new request for service is evaluated by the project director and/or the site supervisor to determine client needs and possible matches with available volunteers. Each client is interviewed and assessed. A second interview is conducted with the client and volunteer to assess the match. Services are provided on a trial basis and evaluated every 6 months.
- Volunteers are recruited by word-of-mouth.
- All volunteers receive pre-training and monthly in-service training.
- In-service training is conducted at two sites, one in each county. There is usually a theme tailored to the six areas of care that senior companions provide (social/recreational assistance; personal care; home management; nutrition; information and advocacy; and respite care), such as nutrition, health, stress management, and community services for seniors. The goal is to educate the Senior Companions with information useful to themselves and their clients. Training is conducted by the project director and/or guest speakers.
- Quarterly site supervisor meetings.
- Quarterly advisory council meetings.
- Monthly visits to sites are conducted by the project director and/or program coordinator.
- A yearly recognition event.
- A yearly holiday party.
Faith-based Partnership
The Salvation Army is a strong and engaged partner with the Senior Companion Program based in Newark, New Jersey. They support strong pre- and in-service training for the Senior Companions. They also provide "care packages" with toiletries (toothpaste, soap, washcloth, comb, and other items) that the Senior Companions can distribute to clients. The senior companions receive vouchers for Pathmark Supermarkets on an annual basis. The program has grown tremendously since the Salvation Army became a partner.
Service Sites
In-home Care
Senior Companions provide person-to-person assistance in the home, such as help with:
- Basic housekeeping
- Meal planning and preparation
- Non-strenuous physical activity
- Nutritional information
- Finding transportation
- Escorting to medical appointments
- Grocery shopping
Adult Day-Care
Senior Companions serve in several medical adult day-care facilities, such as the Bayonne Jewish Senior Health Center's Alzheimer Adult Day-Care facility. Volunteers provide assistance with:
- Exercise
- Rehabilitation
- Nutrition
- Music and recreation therapy to prevent wandering
- Bilingual assistance with Spanish-speaking patients
- Reinforce socialization skills
Counseling Centers
Senior Companions at the Jewish Family and Counseling Service provide:
- Counseling to clients with schizophrenia and other mental illnesses, under the guidance of social workers.
- Translation assistance. Companions from Russia translate for Russian-speaking clients, teach them English, and serve as escorts on visits to the doctor.
Other Facilities
Other volunteer stations in Essex and Hudson County, New Jersey, include the St. Columba's Neighborhood Club, where Senior Companions assist seniors in the Hispanic community. Senior Companions provide respite care in Essex County in partnership with the Division on Aging. Senior Companions living in the St. Mary's Villa (a housing facility for elderly) prepare meals, organize arts projects, and provide basic care for other resident elderly.
Context
The Senior Companion Program (SCP), funded by the Corporation for National and Community Service, mobilizes low-income people age 60 and over to serve adults with special needs. Senior Companions are a vital part of the support network enabling many people to delay or avoid institutionalization and live as independently as possible at home or in their communities. Senior Companions serve 20 hours a week, meet certain income eligibility guidelines, receive modest tax free stipends, receive reimbursement for transportation, some meals during service, an annual physical, and accident and liability insurance while on duty.
The Senior Companion Program in Newark, New Jersey, which has a 28-year long history of service, became a partnership between the Salvation Army and the Corporation for National and Community Service in 1997. At that time, it had 60 Senior Companions. Since then, it has dramatically increased the number of volunteers and the types of services offered.
Outcome
Services provided by the Salvation Army Senior Companion Program in Newark, New Jersey, have several effects according to the project director, including:- Decreased wandering behavior of seniors in adult day-care.
- Increased participation in activities by seniors in adult day-care.
- Improved health through better dietary care of adults living at home.
- Increased ability to access needed services for adults living at home.
- Increased independence and dignity in daily life.
- Adults living at home have experienced an increase in eating regularly scheduled meals as a result of a Senior Companion's visit.
- Increased sense of purpose and self-esteem in Senior Companions.
- Increased knowledge of health and community services for Senior Companions.
Evidence
The Salvation Army Senior Companion Program in Newark, New Jersey, is a model of how senior volunteers are able to meet the requirements of a diverse group of adults with special needs, including the frail elderly, according to the project director. From 2001 to 2002, the number of Senior Companions increased from 89 to 105 and the number of clients receiving services increased from 360 to 384. During 2001, only 5 Senior Companions retired from the program (4 relocated and are with other programs; one is deceased) and 10 clients died. The remaining clients either maintained or showed improvements in their conditions. New Senior Companions are continually trained and placed to decrease the numbers on client waiting lists.
The program has various impact scales to measure the changes a senior companion has made in the life of his/her client. The program has finished the pre-test phase and will finish the post-test phase during the month of August 2002. Once these scales (which were completed by clients and family members) are collected from the volunteer sites, the results will be tallied and analyzed to show in detail how senior companions are meeting the needs of the community.
The program also exemplifies how a major faith-based service organization can be a strong partner with the Corporation for National and Community Service. On March 15, 2002, the program received a Daily Point of Light Award from the Points of Light Foundation.
Posted On
April 30, 2002For More Information