Annie Georges, Ph.D.

Wenson Fung, Ph.D.

Health and Well-being of Senior Corps National Service 

Programs Participants and Beneficiaries

This research is funded by the Corporation for National and Community Service 

under contract number CNSHQ14F0111 to JBS International, Inc.
What this webinar is about?

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National evaluation of Senior Corps consisting 

of two studies

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Foster Grandparent and Senior Companion 

volunteers

Caregivers receiving respite support

Questions and discussion
Senior Corps National Service 

Programs

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Three national service programs: 

Foster Grandparent Program, Senior Companion 

Program and RSVP

Foster Grandparent and Senior Companion volunteers

Income at or below 200 percent of the poverty level

Requires 15 to 40 hours a week of service 

Provides small stipend of service to defray costs

Senior Companion Program provides respite services to 

caregivers caring for family or friends experiencing 

difficulty with daily living and provides direct services 

to homebound clients to support independent living.
Background 

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Second national evaluation of Senior Corps

What is the level of evidence of the effectiveness 

of Senior Corps programs?

How can the National Service program be 

strengthened for both participants (the 

volunteers) and the beneficiaries?
Background 

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Volunteer Study:

How can we strengthen Senior Corps 

programs by understanding satisfaction, 

experience and retention?

What is the impact of national service 

participation on volunteers’ health and wellbeing?
Background 

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Caregiver Study:

How does Senior Corps serve community 

needs by examining caregivers receiving 

respite services?

What is the effects of respite support on 

caregivers’ health and well-being?
VOLUNTEER STUDY
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The issue: Questions addressed about 

Senior Corps volunteers

Do the volunteers stay with the program? 

Who is most likely to stay with the program?

What are the volunteers’ experience with training 

and support to perform their duties?

How does health differ between those who stay 

and those who leave?
Study Design: How the questions are 

answered

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Developing and testing questionnaires

Recruitment of first-time Foster Grandparents 

and Senior Companions from July – November 

2015
Who is a Senior Corps volunteer?

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Not married

Racially diverse female 

Some college or associate’s degree

Group of adults with fewer volunteer 

opportunities 

At greater risk of health disparity
Do the volunteers stay with the program?

• 22 percent of first-time volunteers leave 

within the first 5 to 6 months 
• Who is most likely to stay with the 

program?

 

Increase 

Decrease

Weaker relationship 

Stronger relationship 

Divorced

OR: 1.78 (p = 0.0356)

Difficulty climbing 

stairs

OR: 1.90 (p = 0.0068)

Did not complete high 

school

OR: 0.28 (p = 0.0047)

Leaving Service

High school or GED

OR: 0.62 (p = 0.0307)

Self-rated health 

(good)

OR: 0.63 (p = 0.0455)

Increase

Increase

Decrease

Decrease

Decrease
What are the volunteers’ experience with 

training and support?
What are the volunteers’ experience with 

training and support?
What are the volunteers’ experience with 

training and support?
How does health differ between those 

who stay and those who leave?

Increase 

 Decrease 

Weaker relationship 

Stronger relationship 

Live alone

OR: 0.59 (p = 0.0450)

Number of medical 

conditions

OR: 0.82 (p = 0.0287)

Excellent/very 

good health at 

first follow-up

Leavers

OR: 0.42 (p = 0.0057)

Did not complete high school

OR: 0.45 (p = 0.0283)

Income less than $20,000

OR: 0.29 (p = 0.0171)

Income $20,000–$29,000

OR: 0.20 (p = 0.0025)

Had health problems

OR: 7.65 (p < 0.0001)

Fair/poor health 

at first follow-up 

Leavers

OR: 2.25 (p = 0.0613)

African American

OR: 2.14 (p = 0.0295)
CAREGIVER STUDY
The Issue: Questions answered about 

caregivers receiving respite 

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How do caregivers’ need for seeking respite 

services align with the type of respite services 

received? 

What is the extent to which caregivers’ health 

and well-being change following the start of 

respite services?
Study Design: How the questions are 

answered

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Developing and testing questionnaires

Recruitment of first-time caregivers seeking 

respite support from July – November 2015
Who are the caregivers seeking respite 

support?

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Female of moderate income 

Married

Some college or an associate’s degree

Family member was a veteran or were on active duty 

themselves

Caring for a spouse or a parent 

Duration of caregiving relationship ranged from less 

than six months to more than five years

Other support services were recent, typically less than 

six months 
How do caregivers’ need align with 

the type of respite services received? 

• Reasons that a caregiver might seek respite

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Personal time

Household management

Manage conflicts

54%

46%

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60%

Essential/Moderate Need

Critical Need

Percent of Caregivers
How do caregivers’ need align with 

the type of respite services received? 

• Senior Companion respite had the most impact on 

caregivers with critical need

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More benefits reported with personal time and 

household management

Not much benefits reported with managing 

household conflict
Caregivers’ health and well-being 

change after respite services
Caregivers’ health and well-being 

change after respite services

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Improvement in social and emotional 

connectedness

Percent of caregivers who reported feeling 

alone declined

Percent of caregivers who reported they have 

people they feel close increased.
Caregivers’ health and well-being 

change after respite services

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Reduction in number of depressive symptoms

More caregivers reported fewer depressive 

symptoms at follow-up
Questions and Discussion

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What surprised you about the findings?

For the Senior Corps grantees or volunteers, 

do these results differ from your experience in 

the field?

What are your recommendations to CNCS for 

further analysis with the data?

What additional questions do these results 

raise that you would like to see CNCS 

address?
For more information about Senior Corps and 

its programs etc., visit: 

www.SeniorCorps.gov/HealthyVolunteers 

For more information about the study contact: 

SeniorCorpsEval@jbsinternational.com