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Frank Newton July 7, 2009 12:00 AM There is an organization in town I particularly admire because it provides a service needed by many older adults -- peer counseling -- and it does so free of charge. I am referring to the Center for Successful Aging, which recently was honored as co-winner of the Senior Organization of the Year by the Area Agency on Aging, along with Solvang Meals on Wheels. I am proud to say I have been a board member of CSA for the past year. Yes, there are various public and private counseling services that help older adults, but none is free of charge. What's more, no other service exclusively and intentionally uses counselors who are themselves seniors. The key idea underlying CSA's service model is "seniors helping seniors," which is why its program is called "peer counseling." By design, the counselor is about the same age as the client. This is a wonderfully practical idea. It makes sense that if you are an older person experiencing emotional problems and in need of a kindly ear, you probably would most appreciate and benefit from a listener who has faced the same life experiences you have, such as retirement, loss of loved ones, the empty nest or even the re-inhabited nest. The last thing you might want is a counselor who understands Twitter and can't imagine life before cell phones or even microwaves; or who actually enjoys hip-hop but never heard of Julie London or the Ink Spots; who thinks of the Korean and Vietnam wars as ancient history; and who can't imagine that Highway 101 once had stoplights at Anacapa, State and Chapala streets. Trivial matters, yes, but still meaningful for sharing life experiences, confidences and trust. Like a good friend, a senior peer counselor is sympathetic. But they are also well trained in serious counseling techniques. They're guided by mental health professionals who consult and advise them every week. Thus, their empathy can more effectively help build another senior's self-esteem and empower them to continue tackling life's never-ending challenges. Caring, trust and innovation grounded in professional training expresses the credo of CSA. And that training enables peer counselors to help seniors address such crucial age-related issues as physical and health changes, depression from loss and loneliness, and other life transitions. As worthwhile and effective as CSA's service is, it has been a bumpy road for the organization. Beginning around 1992, it was originally part of the Santa Barbara Counseling Center and then established itself as Senior Peer Counseling, with an office on De la Vina Street. But funding and leadership problems nearly sundered the program. Reaching out for help, the peer counselors survived by virtue of support through a joint arrangement with the Jewish Federation of Greater Santa Barbara and Catholic Charities. This invaluable support the past three years enabled the peer counselor service to prosper and grow. Now there are several dozen trained peer counselors, and they are providing individual and group counseling in a variety of settings around town. The next step for the organization's evolution is to stand on its own two feet -- and that's exactly what the Center for Successful Aging is doing. With heartfelt thanks to the Jewish Federation and Catholic Charities, the CSA is establishing its independence. There's a new board, with new bylaws and Articles of Incorporation, a new funding plan, along with a new office at the Hutton Foundation-sponsored building for nonprofit organizations. There is also a larger staff structure, with Beverly Schydlowsky, Ph. D., licensed clinical social worker, serving as director of CSA's counselor training and guidance, and Gayle Golden taking charge of vital administrative responsibilities. As a way of proudly spreading its new wings, CSA is holding an open house to honor its volunteer counselors. Friends, colleagues and the public are invited to this open house from 5:30 to 7 p. m. July 22 at the Hutton Building, 1528 Chapala St., Suite 205. Refreshments will be served. To R. S.V. P., call 963-8080. To learn more about CSA's services, call Gayle Golden at the same number. Santa Barbara-based Frank Newton has worked with seniors in various capacities over many years, including as director of the Southwest Society on Aging in Dallas. His column appears every other week. Opinions expressed in the column are his, and not necessarily those of the newspaper. E-mail him at franktalk@cox.net. |
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