Senior Citizens Seek Educated Companions to Share Common Interests. When my friend's mother, Helen, a retired dentist approached 90, she became less ambulatory and timid about going out on her own. She stopped yoga, swimming, traveling internationally, and participating in her other cultural and social activities. Stuck at home, Helen turned to the computer as her only companion to keep up with fa
mily, friends and current events. "I wish there was someone who could at least accompany me to the symphony- it’s Tchaikovsky! I have season tickets," Helen sighed, "and my book club is meeting next week, and on Friday, my niece is having an art opening of her latest weavings." My friend hired a senior caregiving agency that sent a young woman to help out Helen. Helen felt the young woman had difficulty communicating about current events, literature, and music; in fact, the young woman had never been to a symphony before, read Hemingway, or attended an art opening. Helen’s daughter and I started doing research on senior care needs and we found that there were no agencies that offered educated companions for seniors who were, for example, retired professionals or educated individuals who would like someone to accompany them to an event or help them within their home--someone who was stimulating, knowledgeable and articulate: To empower them while maintaining their dignity and independence, and continue to be a vital member of their community. We heard an NPR discussion this fall about senior care services and there was a comment that no services in the nation offered educated companions.
This alerted us to start our own niche business targeting seniors who have other needs than just an attendant, a go-fer and a taxi driver: a unique business that employs young educated seniors with expertise in a variety of skill sets in common with seniors’ interests. Combined with the history of our involvement in caregiving with seniors, we launched an incomparable senior care service- North Shore Educated Companion. Our team has a wide range of diverse educational backgrounds such as art, drama, language, political science, business, dance, music, and have held various careers over the years-- Chefs, Business Owners, Teachers, Artists, Interior Designers, Landscape Designers, Accountants, Computer Geeks, and some have worked internationally. Our team members have additional certifications and licenses such as Chair yoga, Aromatherapy Touch, RN, Massage Therapy, Cosmetology, Nutrition, Real Estate, and Counseling. We also have a foregoing experience with handling mild to moderate Alzheimer's, with assisting in Care Management, with guidance in Family Consulting and have a variety of additional skills that seniors may desire. In addition, we have an extended data base of referrals including, handy men, seamstresses, house cleaners, pet sitters and more. We are also available for vacation travel and arrangements, and even for helping out during the holidays- always ensuring the utmost confidentiality. Our Baby Boomer Generation team members are educated young seniors who are sensitive to the needs, wants and desires of the educated Silent and G. Generations that we are serving, and we give respite to their adult children. we can remember where we were when JFK died, when movies could only show couples sleeping in twin beds, when Psycho was the scariest film ever, when La Dolce Vita was a scandal. When the New York Times Sunday crossword would remain on the kitchen table all week, thank you notes were hand written, gas was pumped by the local auto garage owner, kids played outside, if you didn't answer the phone, you didn't get the call and so on. Our team has read the books, seen the films, lived through the history, and been to the symphonies, art openings, and theater... we went from the post-industrial age to the information age. Oh, and don't forget that we too, are starting to know what aging feels like. If you or someone you care about like: NPR, PBS, Current Events, Shalin Liu Performance Center, Cabot Street Cinema, Art Openings, Cape Ann Community Cinema, Little Arts Theater, Gloucester Stage Company, North Shore Music Theater, Peabody Museum, and/or require any of the collective skills noted above- please call us at 978 309 9509 or email us at [email protected]
