Serving With Compassion
New Senior Companion Program Director Visits Ramona

Janna Beers, program director for San Diego County’s Senior Companion program.

The spirit of volunteerism is alive and well in Ramona — something the newly appointed director of the Senior Companion program for San Diego County hopes to tap into.

Janna Beers, program director, recently visited Ramona to meet with Jim Evans, chairman of the advisory council for the San Diego Retired & Senior Volunteer Program, and Ray Cardona, director of the Ramona Senior Center.

“While we do not presently have the funding to expand our program to your community, I wanted to become acquainted with Ramona, where volunteerism is such a tradition, because eventually we want to partner with your senior center to help local older adults maintain their independence,” Beers said.

“In the meantime, we welcome volunteers from Ramona who might be available to participate in our program through our current volunteer sites.”  

Like RSVP and the Foster Grandparent Program, Senior Companions is part of the larger national Senior Corps Program, but it serves a more intimate role in the spirit of volunteerism by pairing healthy older adults with isolated and frail adults who need assistance to continue living independently.

In San Diego, Senior Companions is funded by the county’s Department of Aging and Independence Services, the Corporation for National Service and Lutheran Social Services of Southern California.

Volunteers provide support to needy adults and their primary caregivers by helping with grocery shopping and simple chores, providing transportation, and assisting with other tasks necessary to maintaining independence. More important, they become friends or “companions” to those they help.   

Those who wish to be a Senior Companion must be older than 60, willing to volunteer at least 20 hours a week, have limited income, and love to help their neighbors. The most obvious benefit to Senior Companions is the satisfaction of helping others to live on their own, but Senior Companions also receive:

• pre-service and ongoing training

• an annual physical examination

• supplemental insurance

• help with meal and transportation costs

• a small stipend for those who qualify

Nationwide, Senior Companions help more than 75,000 adults remain independent in their homes each year. They provide the “eyes and ears” to identify necessary services for more than 12,000 needy adults, and they provide rehabilitation, therapy and exercise to more than 8,000 adults with physical disabilities. 

Ramona Home Journal readers who like to help other people because it makes them feel good should contact the Senior Companion Program at (619) 291-6814 for more information. Someday, the proverbial shoe might be on the other foot, and wouldn’t it be nice to have a friend help you to continue living at home and maintain your independence?