ROCK HILL, S.C. — A new program serving Charlotte area seniors is hoping to brighten the lives of the older population with caregivers, who are also seniors.
As you age, simple tasks can become more difficult to perform, and sometimes, seniors require caregivers to maintain their independence.
Seniors Helping Seniors, a program in Rock Hill, focuses on having younger seniors as caregivers for older adults.
“We have an aging and growing population in this area," Tisa Mullis, founder of the Rock Hill chapter of Seniors Helping Seniors, said. "We care and provide the opportunity for our seniors to age gracefully."
Mullis said her caregivers provide a wide variety of services for their clients.
"It ranges from companion care, and personal care tasks in light housekeeping or meal preparation, all the way through and up to and including personal care tasks that may help someone with other needs that are more medically related," Mullis said.
Caregiver, Joanne James, said she saw firsthand the need for these kinds of services here in the Charlotte area.
"Since I've been here, and now more exposed to that, and realizing that I am in that population, but by the grace of God, I'm an active senior, you know, that I can lend my services to that," James said.
James said while yes, she’s technically a senior herself, she can still help care for other seniors who are not as mobile as she is.
"I can still be helpful to those because I know what they're going through," James said. "I'm starting to understand and recognize some of the things that they are going through as well. So I wanted to be of service."
James said being a part of the senior community makes her more apt to take care of other seniors because she knows what they’re going through.
"I think as you get older, you do become more empathetic, I think you do understand you've been through stuff ... you've seen stuff, you know," James said.
Mullis said with this program, caregivers are not just employees to the seniors they serve.
One of my clients very clearly said to her caregiver after the first visit, she said 'Thank you for being my friend' and she hugged her. So it's just an amazing testament that this model works," Mullis said.
In a world where many companies are looking for younger talent, Mullis said there are many benefits to hiring older adults.
"Targeting the seniors first to have the passion and training them and onboarding them and giving them the respect and dignity they deserve," she said.
Mullis said she already has more than a dozen seniors who have signed up to become caregivers. Click here to learn how you can get involved with the program.