Senior Connections links community volunteers to Evanston seniors who may be isolated, homebound, or simply looking for companionship.
Volunteers agree to meet with a senior for at least an hour weekly over the course of about a year, in order to form a friendship. Meetings take place in seniors' home at mutually agreed upon times. The two decide together what they want to do together each week.
Activities together can be anything from simply chatting to taking walks, working on memoirs or photo albums, visits to the doctor, grocery shopping, playing games, or discussing current events.
Volunteers can be any age. A good number come from Northwestern University - some from the undergraduate program and the others from the Kellogg Business graduate program. Moms with young children and others from around the community also like to visit. At year's end volunteers may decide to end their commitment or recommit for another year. Each visitor is personally interviewed by the Senior Connections staff and must attend a two hour orientation/training program. We often say to volunteers that you don't need to be trained to be a friend but we think it is important to equip you with good listening skills to sensitize you to some of the losses older adults experience. We ask for two phone references for each of prospective visitor, so we can ensure reliability and trustworthiness.
Volunteers choose the senior they would like to visit based upon the brief biography of each senior's life that is shared at their training session. Staff then personally introduces the new friends. We brainstorm with them on what they might like to do together and the best time and day they would like to meet.