The Senior Escort Program provides escort services to seniors who feel unsafe or uncomfortable in public without accompaniment. This program was created by the Sacramento Senior Safety Collaborative (SacSSC) in response to the rise in anti-Asian hate crimes.
But there’s more to it than safety. Volunteers go on walks, trips to the grocery store, museum visits, and more to provide company, social interaction, and often physical exercise for seniors in need.
Since COVID-19 began in 2020, the need to quarantine and maintain social distancing has created life struggles for many, especially for the senior population. Through isolation periods with no human contact, there has been a rise in mental illness, loneliness, declining cognition, and loss of life. Social connection for seniors is critical! The World Health Organization and AARP report that experiencing social connection for seniors has benefits that include disease prevention, fewer physical health problems, longevity in life, encouragement for the human spirit, and encourages a greater sense of belonging.
This free service that the Senior Escort Program offers to seniors adds life value! We appreciate our committed volunteers who help make this all possible. I personally was able to volunteer, and it feels so rewarding! One of our participants says that she is only able to get out for a walk and go to her Tai Chi classes when a volunteer comes to escort her.
Says Ella Avenell, who attends McClatchy High School, “The Senior Escort Program was such a fun opportunity to help out my community! I really enjoyed walking with Ms. Jessie Lee. She was such a lovely person to talk to. I would recommend this experience to anyone!”
Yes, we are creating opportunities for social contact, emotional support, active movement and intellectual stimulation in ways that strengthen one’s well being! To continue providing this service, we are in dire need of passionate, and friendly volunteers for our program. Many of our volunteers get just as much fun and social interaction out of the volunteering as the participants do. Retirees and students who need community service…we’re talking to you!
Donna Fontenot is a three-year SCSEP participant, now serving as an Administrative Assistant trainee for ACC Senior Services. She retired from social work in San Francisco and relocated to Sacramento to assist with the care of her aged parents. Both passed away during the COVID-19 pandemic, but she wishes they would have been able to benefit from the Senior Escort Program.
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