Papa companionship services providing social connection for seniors

LEHI – When Diana Johnson and Linda Rich first met two years ago, they became fast friends.

“Mostly we just do fun things like talk,” 77-year-old Rich said.

Rich was having difficulties with her back when she learned about the “Papa” service through Select Health.

“There were times when I was just down and there was nothing I could do,” she said. “And so, I thought, well that would help, you know, light housekeeping or just somebody to talk to.”

“When I first met Linda, I kept coming back,” 68-year-old Johnson said. “I told her I’d come whether she wanted me or not.”

Johnson decided to become a “Papa Pal” herself, after being on the receiving end of the service, following her own surgery.

“I received a phone call from Select Health telling me about a benefit that I had that I wasn’t aware of,” she recalled. “They said something like, ‘We can send someone in to help you with light housekeeping. If you need a companion, they can take you to the doctor’s office, then can pick up prescriptions, whatever you need.’ And I thought, this is something I could do once I recover.”

“As humans, we are made as social creatures, and so we need those connections not only biologically to maintain our lives, but to help keep us healthy and well in all dimensions, including emotionally,” Alicia Santillo, the Healthy Connections program manager at Select Health, said.

Santillo said a lack of social connection, specifically in older adults, can lead to cognitive decline, depression, and isolation.

“It’s easy to forget how much we need other people in our lives and how much we can rely on other people, especially during difficult times,” she said. “So (Papa) is a great way to bridge that gap.”

Santillo said Papa Pals are vetted caregivers, trained to specifically help older adults and “provide the companionship they need.”

Johnson has made hundreds of visits as a Papa Pal to all kinds of people in need.

“I’ve never looked back,” she said. “It’s a great, great thing to be doing in my life.”

She loves learning new things from the people she visits – she said Rich has gotten her into genealogy. “She’s the genealogy queen,” Johnson said.

“The great thing about Papa Pals is that it’s somebody outside your normal group of friends, your normal bubble, that you can count on,” Rich said. “(Diana) really takes care of me. We’ve cried together, we’ve laughed ourselves sick together. And then we’ve cried again.”

A true friendship with an everlasting bond.

“I see Linda every other week and I just have it on my calendar, and I just count down the days that I’m going to get to see her,” Johnson said. “I dare say, if Papa ceased to be tomorrow, Linda and I would be lifetime friends.”

“Definitely,” Rich added. “I’d be calling her saying, ‘It’s Thursday. Why aren’t you here?'”

Depending on your plan, Select Health members may qualify for up to 120 hours of Papa services per year. For more information, call 888-452-4553 or visit selecthealth.org.