Longitudinal Study of Foster Grandparent and Senior Companion Programs: Service Delivery Implications and Health Benefits to the Volunteers

Senior Corps provides national service opportunities for adults age 55 and older with low incomes through its Foster Grandparent Program (FGP) and Senior Companion Program (SCP). These programs leverage volunteers’ skills and experience and address some of the nation’s most pressing challenges.

Study Goals:

This study has three objectives:

To describe the demographic profile, knowledge of national service, and motivation for volunteering among first-time FGP and SCP volunteers.
To assess retention, satisfaction, and engagement with FGP and SCP.
To examine how participation in national service contributed to changes in self-rated health and well-being.

Findings:

The study found the following:

Senior Corps volunteers reported significantly higher self-rated health scores compared with older adults in similar circumstances who do not volunteer, and a significant number of Senior Corps volunteers showed stable health.
32% of volunteers who reported good health at baseline reported improved health at the two-year follow-up, and 55% of volunteers who reported good health at baseline continued to report good health at the two-year follow-up.
After two years of volunteering with Senior Corps, 78% of those who reported more than five symptoms of depression at the beginning of the study said that they felt less depressed two years later.
88% of those who first described a lack of companionship said they felt less isolated after two years.

For more information, download the final report, research brief, fact sheet, one-page overview, and infographic. You can also view the Senior Corps Health Benefits 2019 and Improving the Quality of Life for All Generations videos on YouTube.

Full report

Full Report

Longitudinal_Study_of_Foster_Grandparent_and_Senior_Companion_Programs_FINAL_508.pdf

CNCS_Senior_Corps_Long_Study_FGP_SCP_Research_Brief_508.pdf

Further information

Program/Intervention

Foster Grandparent Program (FGP) and Senior Companion Program (SCP)

AmeriCorps Program(s)

AmeriCorps Seniors

Age(s) Studied

55+ (Older adult)

Researcher/Evaluator

JBS International

Published Year

2018

Report Citation

Georges, A., Fung, W., Smith, J., Liang, J., Sum, C., & Gabbard, S. (2018). Longitudinal Study of Foster Grandparent and Senior Companion Programs: Service Delivery Implications and Health Benefits to the Volunteers. North Bethesda, MD: JBS International,