Senior doesn’t ‘have time to get old’

George Holcomb made four appearances as Santa, logged more than 966 miles in his blue Chevy Metro, and worked and volunteered more than 146 hours last month. He also taught a two-day course on composite aircraft parts repair and added more pages to a book he is writing about Dutch-oven cookery.

This does not seem so unusual until Holcomb reveals his age and talks about all the other activities to which he so generously volunteers his time.

A retired aircraft mechanic and quality assurance inspector, Holcomb is 76 years old and a volunteer with Panhandle Health District’s Senior Companion program.

Senior Companions are healthy, very active senior citizens who assist frail, homebound, ill or otherwise impaired senior citizens.

“I don’t know what 76 is supposed to look like,” Holcomb says with a smile that reminds one of jolly old St. Nick. “I have been active all my life, and I do not have time to get old.”

Holcomb has served as a Senior Companion since June 2002, primarily for the Adult Day program at Kootenai Medical Center.

The Adult Day program is a community based program that provides for the social needs of seniors and the respite needs of families and caregivers. Activities at the center are designed to help participants remain active, which reduces isolation and promotes independence.

Holcomb says he “mingles with the folks” at the Adult Day program, but he also plays dominoes, entertains, serves lunch, helps with the cleanup and, most importantly, provides companionship to the residents.

“I derive a great deal of satisfaction from helping others,” Holcomb says.

Holcomb cooks breakfast two to three mornings a week at the center and has earned a solid reputation for his specialty – sourdough buckwheat pancakes.

“There are seldom any leftovers,” he says like a proud chef.

Holcomb is also a member of the Senior Companion Advisory Committee, where he spends many hours promoting the program and its needed services throughout Kootenai County.

Companionship may include writing letters, reading, shopping for groceries and doing other daily tasks necessary to maintain independence. Frequently it includes giving the spouse of a severely impaired individual respite from an otherwise full-time responsibility. There is no charge to the client.

Senior Companions become part of a team of caregivers. They alert doctors and family members to potential health problems.

“Without the help of Senior Companions, many older adults would not be able to continue to live at home and would need more expensive, less personal care,” says program director Terri Roeth, who is also a licensed social worker.

There are two Senior Companion programs in Idaho. One is in Twin Falls, and one is in Coeur d’Alene, where it is sponsored by the Panhandle Health District, and serves Idaho’s five northern counties.

Roeth says these five counties have 41,249 residents who are at least 55 years old. The health district predicts this population will grow by 185 percent by the year 2010. “Our Senior Companions help more than 250 clients with a total of 60,000 service hours a year,” says Roeth. “We receive referrals on a daily basis, and there simply are not enough volunteer companions to cover a very long waiting list.”

Holcomb is also a volunteer member of the Rathdrum Park and Recreation Committee, Westwood Historical Society and the GEM Community Advisory Committee, and is event coordinator for the Fall Heritage Festival.

“George is a kind, caring and compassionate human being. He gives so much of himself in all his volunteer positions,” says Roeth.

“When George came to the program, we got another angel sent to us. He goes the extra mile to help families all over Kootenai County.”