Geriatric Medicine

Companion Care Program

A young woman speaking with an older patient resting in his bed

About the Companion Care Program

Hospitals can be lonely places for patients, especially older adults who may have few, if any, family members or friends living nearby to visit them. That’s why, through the vision and generosity of the Samuel Steinberg Family Foundation, the Companion Care Program was originally launched in the Geriatrics Special Care Unit 5 North West (5NW) at UCLA Santa Monica Medical Center. With additional support from the Eisner Foundation, the program has expanded to an additional unit—4 Merle Norman (4MN)—at UCLA Santa Monica Hospital, as well as two more units—7 East (7E) and 5 East (5E)—at UCLA Ronald Reagan Medical Center in Westwood.

Under this program, specially trained volunteers provide individualized companionship to older patients while they are hospitalized. Typical activities provided by these companions include – but are not limited to – reading, playing games, assisting with feeding and accompanying patients on walks under a nurse’s supervision.

The Companion Care Program was also recently featured on CBS news! >(Link is external)

The Companion Care Program fosters meaningful intergenerational connections between student volunteers and geriatric patients in the hospital. It offers students valuable communication skills and exposure to the hospital environment, which is especially beneficial for those pursuing careers in healthcare. The program enhances the hospital experience for both students and older adult patients, benefiting everyone involved. Many of our past volunteers have gone on to attend medical and nursing school.

Mission

A structured volunteer program using trained volunteers to provide purposeful visitation to improve patient’s orientation, level of calmness, and mood.

Scheduling information

The Companion Care program operates 7 days a week, 365 days a year, from 7:00 AM to 11:00 PM. Volunteers can schedule shifts at UCLA Santa Monica Hospital as well as Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center 

The program offers a flexible schedule. Volunteers can select and register for their own shifts through our online system. They are required to commit to a minimum of 4 hours per week and may volunteer up to 6 hours per day.

Volunteers must complete a minimum of 150 hours in the program to be eligible for a letter of recommendation.

Onboarding process 

Anyone aged 18 or older can apply to volunteer in the Companion Care program. Volunteers are required to commit a minimum of 150 hours to the program. 

The onboarding process includes the following steps:

1: Complete the Online Application

Sign up by submitting your volunteer application here: https://volunteer.uclahealth.org/custom/527/opp_details/4135

2: Wait for Application Approval

After your application is reviewed and accepted, you will receive instructions for the next steps in the onboarding process.

3: Complete Online Requirements

You will need to: 

  • Complete a series of online training modules
  • Submit your health clearance documents 

4: Attend In-Person Orientation

Once you have completed the online requirements, you will be invited to an in-person orientation at UCLA Santa Monica Medical Center. During this orientation, you will receive training on: 

  • Isolation precautions
  • Delirium and dementia care
  • Communication strategies with geriatric patients
  • Feeding assistance 

5: Shadow a Trained Volunteer

For your first shift, you will shadow an experienced volunteer to familiarize yourself with the unit and build your confidence.

6: Begin Volunteering Independently

After completing your shadow shift, you may start signing up for your own shifts and volunteering independently.

Contact Us

If you would like to volunteer, or for more information about the Companion Care program, please email Jagrup Kaur, [email protected]