The Senior Connections Solution:
- The Singer Institute recruits active senior volunteers and trains them to be “relational volunteers“ who visit these isolated and forgotten seniors at least once a week.
- Quality of life is improved for volunteers and residents through the lasting connections created.
Why We Do This
“Simple acts of tender mercy will eventually tilt the earth on its axis and, slowly, the world will be changed. For more than three decades, The Singer Institute has been devoted to reviving the human spirit for lost and lonely people.”
--Dr. Suzsanne Singer, Senior Connections
Founder and Director
America is aging and the time for Senior Connections is now. The number of seniors over 65 will double to 70.3 million by 2030. In other words, in the next 20 years, there will be twice as many older adults who will either need care or will be looking for meaningful volunteer opportunities. The Singer Institute created Senior Connections 10 years ago to address both needs.
Our goal is to provide some of the elderly and most needy Long-Term Care facility residents with the opportunity to form a significant and meaningful relationship with a trusted and caring adult. Toward that end, we recruit, screen and train volunteers and monitor, support and evaluate their effort. In short, we want to create a grass roots movement, both here in St. Louis and across the country, for a new way of caring for our isolated elderly as their numbers continue to climb.
Senior Connections provides an original and rather inexpensive approach to combating the detrimental affects of social isolation faced by so many of our seniors in long term care facilities.
Facts:
- More than 7,000 senior citizens who live in the St. Louis metro area assisted living facilities have few or no visitors;
- US Census reports project an increase in adults 65+ from 40.4 million (in 2010) to 70.3 million (by 2030)
- Data indicates there are almost 200,000 potential volunteers aged 65+ in St. Louis City and County, looking for active and meaningful participation in society as they themselves experience the transitions of older adulthood.
- Social isolation for the elderly is a significant risk factor for depression and consequent physical inactivity, illness, injury, and reduced functional independence, and community support networks are vital in reducing social isolation.
- Volunteering is linked to a lower risk of death and increased mental and physical health, social connectedness and self-esteem.
Statistics From Our Program for 2009
Number of active volunteers: 106
Number of residents being visited: 118
Number of zip codes in which residents are being served: 22
Number of visits made: 2,689
Number of volunteer hours given: 3,024 ($56,548.80 worth of donated work)
Number of trainees trained: 78
Number of trainings: 6
Number of new facilities added: 5
Total number of facilities: 32
Percentage increase in number of minority volunteers from 2008: 10%
Number of support group meetings: 31
Number of new board members: 6
Who We Are Training (2009):
A unique aspect of Senior Connections is “seniors helping seniors.” Who better to be sensitive to the myriad of issues isolated elderly face than other older adults as they themselves begin to experience the transitions of older adulthood?
- 349 persons trained since the program began
- Volunteers come from 44 different zip codes
- Volunteers come from diverse educational backgrounds: from high school through doctorate-level training
Volunteer Ethnicity
Caucasian: 75.6%
African-American: 20.7%
Asian: 1.2%
Other: 2.64%
Volunteer Age
>80: 3.7%
60-79: 50.0%
40-59: 29.3%
< 39: 8.6%
unknown: 8.4%
Gender
Female: 78.0%
Male: 19.5%
Who We Are Helping (2009):
Isolated long term care residents are paired with active seniors wishing to meet their own deep needs to be of service to others within the community. Volunteers and their resident companions build trusting, positive relationships as they engage in weekly conversations and social activities that suit resident interests and abilities and enhance their physical and mental well-being. Quality of life improves for both the senior resident and the senior relational volunteer who visits them.
Residents by Age
55 to 59 3%
60 to 64 5%
65 to 74 15%
75 to 84 21%
85years+ 30%
Unknown 26%
Average known age is 80
Race/Ethnicity
Caucasian 52%
African-American 28%
Unknown 20%
Insurance Status
Medicaid 44%
Private Pay 20%
Unknown 36%
Sites
There are about 7,000 residents in long-term care facilities in St. Louis City and County who receive no outside visitors and are, even in the best-run facilities, at risk of suffering physically and emotionally from loneliness and neglect. There are 97 long-term care facilities in the Senior Connections target area, serving a total population of 13,325.
Our 32 Sites:
Alexian Brothers- Lansdowne Village
Avalon Gardens Nursing Home
Beavouis Manor on the Park
Bethesda Dilworth
Bethesda- Meadow
Bethesda - Southgate
Care Givers Inn
Cedars at the JCA
Chestnut Glen
Crystal Oaks Residential Care Center
Delmar Gardens- Creve Coeur
Delmar Gardens- North
Delmar Gardens on the Green
Delmar Gardens of O'Fallon
Delmar Gardens- West
Doorways Residential
Dutchtown Care Center
Elder Care of the Valley
The Heights NHC
Manor Grove
Mary Culvert Home for the Blind
Mary Ryder Home
Marymount Manor, Eureka
NHC Maryland Heights
Oak Knoll Nursing Home
Parkside Meadows
Richmond Terrace LSS
St. Louis Altenheim
St. Peters Manor
Spencer Place
Sunrise Assisted Living on Clayton
Sunshine Manor
University Forest Manor
Our Collaborating Partners
The Ethical Society of St.Louis
The Ethical Society Mid Rivers
St. Louis Effort for AIDS
SAGE
Doorways
Singer Institute Board of Directors (Link)
Singer Institute In the Media (Under Construction)
The Singer Institute
943 Warder Avenue, University City, MO 63130 314-727-9202