Senior Peer Program
The Senior Peer Program strives to improve the well-being of seniors by providing increased social connections with their peers.
We work to ensure that every senior has the connections they need.
As we age we may find that we are “going it alone” more than we want to and too much isolation can lead to increased problems with our physical and emotional well-being.
Our program is designed to bring older adults together by providing one-to-one visits in the home and support groups in the community that seek to link people with common concerns and interests.
Based within Polara Health , a leading provider of behavioral treatment services, our program is unique in several ways.
It is not a treatment program
Trained volunteers provide the services that are FREE.
The services are for older adults, age 60 and above seeking to maintain and improve their well-being by helping create connections with their peers.
Support Groups and Classes
All Support Groups are free, confidential, and facilitated by volunteers in the Quad-City area.
Pre-registration is required for all support groups and classes.
To register, please call Deanna Eder, Senior Peer Program Manager
928-445-5211 Ext. 3605 or email d.eder@polarahealth.com
Blind/Low Vision Support Group
A safe and confidential place to share experiences living with low vision and how to navigate life with confidence and acceptance.
Women of Wisdom
Meet with women for friendship and shared life experiences.
Blind/Low Vision Caregiver Support Group
For those caring for a vision-impaired loved one. Learn strategies not only for the care of loved ones but also how to take care of oneself.
Senior Men’s Group
Meet with like-minded men for friendship and shared life experiences.
Mindfulness Meditation Class
Learn a secular practice that helps to pay attention to experiences and accept them without judgment. Mindfulness is beneficial to our psychological and physical well-being.
Grief Support Group | 6-Week Sessions Offered
A guided support group helping seniors navigate loss and healing.
Senior Companion Program
Polara Health’s Senior Peer Program partners with the Senior Companion Program (SCP), part of AmeriCorps Seniors and administered locally through Northern Arizona University.
Through this partnership, trained volunteers are matched with older adults who are homebound, isolated, or in need of regular companionship and support.
Senior Companions help older adults maintain independence and quality of life by providing:
Friendly companionship and emotional support
Assistance with light household tasks
Transportation to medical appointments, errands, and community outings
Connection to the outside world through regular visits and communication
Respite support for family caregivers
These services enable older adults to remain safely in their homes while reducing loneliness, supporting daily living needs, and strengthening overall well-being.
Contact Senior Peer Program Manager, Deanna Eder 928-445-5211 ext. 3605 or d.eder@polarahealth.com
CONNECT
“Put down those word puzzles and games and find real connections with others — socialize, volunteer, find a support group, talk on the phone, connect, connect, connect.”
Why the Senior Peer Program Works
CREATES SOCIAL CONNECTIONS
After a lot of reading and working with seniors I believe the Senior Peer Program, a program that engages seniors in their home and in support groups, works because it creates social connections. A recent article in “NeurologyNow—The Healthy Brain” reports that “social networks bolster the brain”….”social activity may protect pathways in the brain linked to memory and cognition.” Thereby creating a chemical environment that supports memory without producing Alzheimer’s. So the real culprits in this scenario are the experience (feelings) of loneliness and isolation; both of these internal sensations are also risk factors for depression and suicide in the older adult.
LONELINESS EFFECTS BODY CHEMICALS
Researchers believe that loneliness effects body chemicals: by increasing the levels of cortisol, the stress hormone; by weakening our immune response thus creating an inflammatory response; inflammatory responses underlie illnesses like strokes and diabetes. Other researchers have found that living alone is a risk factor for dementia.
SENIOR PEER VOLUNTEERS NEEDED!
If you are 60+ and would like to become a Senior Peer Volunteer we would love to hear from you! We offer NEW VOLUNTEER training regularly.
Did you know there are many great benefits to volunteering?
Studies show people who volunteer are healthier, happier, and live longer. Volunteering connects you to others, helps counteract the effects of anxiety and stress, combats depression and can increase your feelings of happiness, provides you with a sense of purpose and brings fulfillment to your life; and volunteering helps you stay emotionally and physically healthy!
The Senior Peer Program has several volunteer opportunities from which to choose. You can:
Offer one-on-one weekly visits to a homebound senior.
Facilitate a Support Group in the community.
Lead a class or workshop in your own area of expertise/interest.
Drive a senior, who does not drive, to their weekly Support Group Meeting.
To learn more about becoming a Senior Peer Volunteer in your community: Contact Deanna Eder, Senior Peer Program Manager at 928-445-5211, ext 3605 or d.eder@polarahealth.com
Hear more from our community
Medication Dangers to Seniors
A presentation about medication dangers to seniors with Connie Boston, Senior Peer Program, Polara Health - 2020
Thank you Dignity Yavapai Regional Medical Center.
7 Habits of Happiness
7 Habits of Happiness with Connie Boston, Senior Peer Program, Polara Health - 2020
Thank you to Dignity Yavapai Regional Medical Center