Goal 6 Healthy Seniors

Seniors looking for volunteering opportunities need look no further than the Oregon Cascades West Council of Governments (OCWCOG). The agency offers seniors the chance to connect with kids who need someone to count on, as well as other seniors who can’t leave their homes.

“We constantly see relationships develop through these programs,” said Alicia Lucke, who manages the programs for OCWCOG.

In the Foster Grandparent tutor program, after five years, many tutors now have their own special desk in a classroom with the same teacher each year and are a familiar, safe face at school for many students.

Likewise, Senior Companions have grown to fill physical and emotional needs gaps in the lives of their senior clients. “Many of our clients are without family nearby and our volunteers serve as their emergency contact. Having that relationship established before COVID-19 and the recent wildfires has helped us to better triage food insecurity and health needs of some of our most vulnerable this past year,” said Lucke.

Samaritan’s Social Accountability committees in all three counties have awarded grants to these programs for several years. In 2020, the grants allowed the local Senior Corps programs to serve the following:

• In Benton County, 25 kids and 11 homebound seniors.
• In Lincoln County, 19 kids and 17 homebound seniors.
• In Linn County, 19 kids and 45 homebound seniors.

“Research shows that Senior Corps volunteers were healthier, less depressed and less socially isolated than those who did not serve. As a result, 88% reported fewer feelings of isolation, 84% reported stable or improving health and 78% reported fewer symptoms of depression,” Lucke said.

“Samaritan’s grants allow us to continue to offer these opportunities to senior volunteers so that they can serve both youth and homebound seniors in Benton, Lincoln and Linn counties in a meaningful, cost-effective way,” she noted.