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

      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, Back to main content Sign up to hear about our latest news, events, and opportunities.
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