Jospehine Krueger (left) is helped by her SDC Senior Companion Mary Washington (right).
A program that helps Milwaukee County seniors remain in their own homes has been recognized by a national organization.
The Senior Companions Program, coordinated by the Social Development Commission (SDC), has been honored by the National Senior Corps Association (NSCA). The national group selected SDC’s Senior Companion program as one of two recipients of its Innovative Practice award. The SDC program was singled out by NSCA for its tracking system that keeps a record of all activities Senior Companions do during home visits, allowing the program to closely document the impact it is having.
Senior Companions matches trained volunteers with homebound elderly in Milwaukee County. Those Companions make regular home visits to provide services such as helping with light housework, making doctors appointments, shopping, and just being a friend. The program has been shown to be effective in allowing the homebound to remain in their own homes longer than they would without the service.
Mattie Payne, Senior Companion Program Manager for SDC, says of the award “the recognition we are really proud of are the smiles and the thanks we get from the Seniors we help to stay in their homes.” SDC Senior Companions made more than 12,800 visits to their clients during 2009.
For more information on the SDC Senior Companion Program, call 414-906-2781. Senior Companions is funded in part by the Corporation for National Service and the State of Wisconsin.