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Full-Text Articles in Service Learning
Senior Companion Program Volunteers: Exploring Experiences, Transformative Rituals, And Recruitment/Retention Issues, Jason S. Ulsperger, Jericho Mcelroy, Haley Robertson, Kristen Ulsperger
Senior Companion Program Volunteers: Exploring Experiences, Transformative Rituals, And Recruitment/Retention Issues, Jason S. Ulsperger, Jericho Mcelroy, Haley Robertson, Kristen Ulsperger
Faculty Publications - Behavioral Sciences
Senior Companion Programs (SCPs) help the homebound elderly. They operate through local Area Agencies on Aging, but any nonprofit institution can apply for funding and operate a SCP. Program volunteers are 55 and older. They visit qualified elderly clients, which includes people who do not have the ability to fully care for themselves. Volunteers provide social interaction to clients, but they also provide a minimal level of services, such as grocery shopping, light housekeeping, and respite for caregivers. Examining the experiences of volunteers in these programs can help us better understand why actively engaging with others is important as we …