Seniors Program

The Seniors program is for non-citizen refugees sixty years of age and older. Funding provides services for transportation and interpreters for medical appointments as well as citizenship classes for those approaching five years of residency in the United States.

The Grant has allowed a close working relationship with the Senior Companion Program at the Area Office on Aging. Low-income seniors are able to go into homes of other seniors and assist them in their activities of everyday living. Most Senior Companions serve 3-5 clients and volunteer a maximum of 30 hours per week. They receive a small, federally funded stipend, through the Area Office on Aging to offset the cost of volunteering.

Our Senior Companions are older refugees assisting mostly other older refugees by transporting clients to medical appointments, trips to the grocery store, for respite care, or simply visiting to alleviate isolation.

The contact with Senior Companions have enabled many elderly refugees to remain in their homes much longer than if they hadn’t had the extra assistance and companionship.