Senior Companion Program Clients

A Senior Companion Program Client can look forward to companionship: taking walks with your Senior Companion, reading, letter writing, reminiscing, and making a new friend. You may share information about healthful living and activities of daily life or go shopping together. Perhaps one of their most important things to look forward to is less loneliness and isolation, which can threaten your independence and health. Senior Companions may also provide respite services for family caregivers.

How to Become a Senior Companion Program Client

Persons wishing to become a Senior Companion Program Client must be:

• 18 years of age or older

• Chronically ill and/or elderly

• Homebound and/or isolated

Persons wishing to become a Senior Companion Program Client should have the need and/or desire for some or all of the following:

• Desired companionship for the development of friendship

• Difficulty and/or inability to run errands outside the home

• The desire for social and/or recreational contact

• Home management difficulty and/or inability

• Minor transportation needs

• Difficulty with or, desire to gain knowledge in nutritional food preparation

• Advocacy provision

• Caregiver relief (respite care)

Persons wishing to become a Senior Companion Program Client should not expect a Senior Companion to:

• Be a substitute for professionally trained medical personnel

• Perform as a cleaning service

• Be physically involved in financial matters

• Perform household repairs and/or yard work

• Do heavy lifting

For information on how to become a Senior Companion Program Client, call: (207) 581-3870 or 1-800-287-0274 (in Maine), or e-mail us at scpstateoffice@umext.maine.edu.