In November 2006 Villemaire joined the program and became one of Vermont’s “special caring people.” She makes weekly visits to four Vermont elders in her area who need companionship and assistance with errands, driving, light cooking, reading, letter writing, doctor visits and other tasks. Her good company and friendly visits relieve the loneliness of homebound seniors and others with special needs, at no cost to the recipients.
“I often feel that I get more out of it than my clients do,” says Villemaire. “I feel connected to others and good about helping them. Some days I can’t wait to get there to see how they are doing, have a visit, listen to their stories, and help out in any way I can.” Villemaire’s four clients range in age from 75 to 91, and in their own way they help build a bridge between socially isolated seniors and their communities.
The Council on Aging for Southeastern Vermont administers this federally funded program in Windham and Windsor Counties. For her average of twenty hours a week in service to others she receives a small tax free stipend, mileage reimbursement, orientation and ongoing training, and a yearly physical exam.
Personal satisfaction, sometimes hard to quantify, is high for Senior Companions. “My clients are grateful for what I do for them,” says Villemaire. “And I get so much from it.”
Villemaire’s most senior client, Ruth Stearns, is 91. Blind and dependent on a walker, Stearns bubbles with enthusiasm about Villemaire and the Senior Companion Program. “I just love it. I look forward to Wednesdays when Alice comes. She helps me with grocery shopping, banking, mailing, paperwork and errands.” For Stearns, going out with Villemaire to shop and stop for a cup of coffee is a highlight of her week. “I can’t say enough about the program,” she says. “I enjoy Alice’s help and I enjoy her company.”
The Senior Companion Program has a dual purpose of engaging persons sixty and over with limited incomes in volunteer service to meet critical community needs. It is one of the great success stories that sprang from government legislation in the 1970s, yet is under utilized.
The Council on Aging for Southeastern Vermont, which oversees the program, gives personalized service for successful aging, helps people remain as independent, healthy and involved as possible, and connects seniors and their caregivers to the information and services they need. Part of their mission in Vermont is to attract and connect potential volunteers with elders in need of services. When those connections are made, everybody wins.
The caring and companionship between Villemaire and Stearns
is just one success story among many. The Council on Aging for Southeastern Vermont (COASEV) would like to multiply that success by adding more special chapters to the lives of grateful participants. COASEV believes that seniors who remain active also remain healthier. This program encourages more active participation by the senior companion as well as the people who are matched with them. To become a Senior Companion or to request the program’s services, see “Resources” below.
RESOURCES
For more information about the services that the Council on Aging for Southeastern Vermont provides, call
- Senior Help Line (800-642-5119)
- Lisa Langone, Senior Companion Program Coordinator
(802-257-2338)
