Touching Lives Over 55!

Touching Lives Over 55! is our volunteer Peer Leader program. Volunteers who are 55+ are recruited and trained to lead support groups in sites throughout the community such as senior community centers and senior apartment buildings. The goal of the program is to provide meaningful volunteer opportunities for older adults and to prevent the development of serious depression amongst seniors in Philadelphia.

Depression is a serious illness that occurs in approximately 25% of older adults.   Chronic illnesses, multiple losses and bereavement, and social isolation put seniors at increased risk for developing depression. Attending a peer counselor led support group can decrease social isolation and provide an outlet for older adults to talk about issues that affect them.  Developing increased social connections and being able to share experiences around common aging challenges can decrease the incidence of this serious disease.

To find a support group near you, or to volunteer to become a Peer Leader please call 215-487-1296.