The senior companion program has been sponsored by telespond serving seniors of lackawanna county since 1974 and currently recruits volunteers from lackawanna county, PA

The agency has three main goals: to help people improve their life prospects, to have family function adaptively, and to help clients reduce risk to achieving and maintaining self-sufficiency. The senior companion program of lackawanna county , PA is requesting $335,740 of federal support to manage 94 volunteers at fourteen volunteer stations to support independent living and respite care. Telespond senior services contributes $108,408.00 of non- federal support. 94 volunteers will assist clients with aging in place by assisting with transportation, food assistance and other services. These clients will report increased social ties/perceived social support. Volunteers will provide one on one assistance to clients helping them with socialization, advocacy, recreation, non medical assistance with activities of daily living for a minimum of 4 hours/week. These services will assist the client in remaining independent in their home and provide caregivers with needed rest and respite. Additional, volunteers will provide caregivers of older adults with respite services for a minimum of 4 hours/weeks. The caregivers will report having increased social ties/perceived social support, as a result of having a senior companion volunteer in their home. At the end of the three year grant, 465 clients will receive services to help them remain independent in their home. Clients will show an increase in social ties or perceived social support. Caregivers will receive respite services with reporting increase social ties/perceived social support.