The Sanford Center for Aging’s Senior Outreach Services (SOS) program, established in 2002, provides volunteer-based companionship to older adults in Washoe County, Nevada. The program is free and serves adults over 60 who are socially isolated, often have low incomes, and live in private homes. Volunteers visit participants weekly and maintain regular communication, offering social interaction and emotional support.
One example is the connection between Bobby Niemi, an SOS client, and Emily Zedek, a business undergraduate at the University of Nevada, Reno. Zedek began volunteering with Niemi in August 2024, after Niemi’s previous volunteer moved away. They talk on the phone, run errands, and occasionally go on outings, such as a recent trip to Auburn and Grass Valley.
Zedek’s interest in volunteering comes from her experience with her grandmothers, who had late-onset dementia. She values helping seniors remain connected and live independently. Zedek notes that programs like SOS support older adults and help address social isolation…