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Stories of Hope

Senior Companion Volunteers

Moisey and Sofiya Sandler, two JFS Senior Companion volunteers, were recently honored for 10 and 15 years of service, respectively, to the Senior Companion program.

The Senior Companion program offers fixed-income individuals, age 60 years or over, the opportunity to provide assistance and friendship to the at-risk elderly and adult disabled population. The program is administered by Seniors, Inc!, a nonprofit organization coordinating senior services throughout Colorado. JFS has partnered with Seniors, Inc! for more than 30 years, helping provide volunteers and connecting Senior Companions with JFS clients.

Moisey sees eight to 10 JFS Senior Solutions clients and Sofiya sees eight Russian immigrants in JFS’s New American Support Services department. As Senior Companions, they assist with errands such as shopping and going to the library and barbershop, take the clients to medical appointments, and provide companionship. Sofiya also translates documents into English and helps with translation at medical appointments. Several of Moisey’s clients are blind or have very low vision and have come to depend on Moisey’s assistance for many years.

In 2006, the couple received the “Older Volunteers Enrich America” award from the National Association of Area Agencies on Aging and MetLife for their work as Senior Companions.

“We love what we do!” says Sofiya enthusiastically. “It is hard work and we get tired. I am 77 and Moisey is almost 80, but we feel that we cannot leave our clients. We have to help people who are older and more in need than we are.” Sofiya especially enjoys the friendships she has created over the years and loves to celebrate her clients’ birthdays with them.

Jennie Creasey, JFS care manager who works closely with Moisey and serves as a staff liaison to Seniors Inc! says, “The Senior Companion program provides a vital role in helping clients stay in their homes and helps decrease social isolation. Seniors Inc. does a great job engaging and honoring the Senior Companions!”

She adds, “Moisey is very wonderful and dependable. It’s great to have the continuity of the relationships he’s established with our clients. He lets the care managers at JFS know of any changes or concerns with the clients. It is invaluable to have those extra eyes and ears out there with our clients!”

For more information about the Senior Companion program, please contact Jennie Creasey at (303) 597.5000.