The Senior Companion Program needs volunteers age 60 and older to visit homebound seniors throughout Utah County.
Senior Companion volunteers are matched with three to five seniors in their community and provide weekly companionship and limited assistance with personal and household needs. Volunteers can also help provide transportation for clients or provide respite for caregivers. At present, the need for volunteers exceeds the number of volunteers available to serve as senior companions.The purpose of the program is to provide companionship and support services to older persons and disabled adults, enhancing their ability to continue living in their own homes or in residential living situations.
"Companions make a big difference to someone who is frail and alone," said Rosemary Chipman, Senior Companion Program director.
Senior Companions can also help clients work on special interests or hobbies. Examples include helping with family history and putting together scrapbooks. One Companion actually helped a woman who had lost her sight complete work on a book she had been writing.
"Somehow when the placements of Senior Companions are made, they just turn out right," Chipman said.
Senior Companions are needed to volunteer in homes throughout Utah Valley, must commit to 20 hours of service each week and must meet income guidelines. They can also receive a monthly stipend that does not affect other financial assistance they may receive. In addition, volunteers receive sick, vacation and holiday pay, limited insurance benefits and reimbursement for mileage incurred during their service.
Other volunteer opportunities are available throughout Utah County. Some of these are listed below.
- Parents needed to help children and teenagers heal. The Western Region of the Utah Foster Parent program is searching for people to provide a safe haven for children while their own families heal. Interested parents will receive training on how to deal with abused and neglected children from the Division of Children and Family Services and are eligible to get compensation for food, clothing and shelter for the foster child. Children range in age from infants to 17 years old.
- Lend a listening ear for local homebound seniors. The American Red Cross TeleCare Program needs a volunteer to help make telephone calls to local seniors or individuals with disabilities. This volunteer will make the calls on Fridays from 9 to 10 a.m. Telephone calls made by volunteers provide reassurance to many homebound individuals who may not otherwise have contact with someone that day.
- Provide assistance for an organization that teaches medical prevention. The International Academy of Lymphology in Orem is seeking several volunteers to help in its office. Individuals are needed anytime from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday. Volunteers will answer phones and provide general office assistance. The Academy is dedicated to teaching people how to prevent pain, loss of energy and death by disease.
- Learn office skills while volunteering. The National Kidney Foundation is looking for volunteers to help in its office by answering phones and entering information in the computer. Volunteers should have good verbal and communication skills and should be willing to commit two hours per week. The Foundation will teach the necessary Excel and MS Word skills. Two-hour shifts are available Monday through Friday between 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
For more information about these and other volunteer opportunities throughout Utah County, contact the United Way Volunteer Center at 374-8108 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. Monday through Friday or visit the United Way of Utah County web site at (www.utahcounty.unitedway.org).