BOISE, Idaho — Retired neighbors in the Treasure Valley are trading in their downtime for a new kind of purpose, becoming caregivers for elderly neighbors through Seniors Helping Seniors.
Rhonda Zaharko spent 29 years working in the Middleton School District before retiring. After a year and a half, she was ready to get back to work.
"I never thought I would be doing this," Zaharko said.
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But the pull of staying busy and staying connected brought her back.
"You can only sit around for so long. You can only do housework for so long, and yard work by the end of the day, your work is done, and it's like, what do you do now?" asked Zaharko.
Zaharko is one of many older Treasure Valley residents who have joined Seniors Helping Seniors, an organization that pairs older caregivers with elderly neighbors who need an extra hand.
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The connection between caregiver and client often runs deeper than the job itself.
"Because of so many commonalities, how many things we share, we likely were in schools at similar times and experiencing like the first years of rock and roll and everything else," caregiver Terry Ward-Jung said.
The need for that connection is growing. Caregiver jobs are expected to jump 12% in the next decade, according to the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare. Idaho is already behind the national average and needs more workers to meet demand.
Nathan Peterson, owner of Seniors Helping Seniors Southern Idaho, said the organization's model helps address that shortage in a meaningful way.
"There's a huge turnover," said Peterson. "For somebody in their 20s or 30s, it may not feel like super rewarding work to help somebody that is really hard to relate with. I love the Seniors Helping Seniors model because most of my caregivers are happily retired. They're looking for something meaningful to do with their time."
For some caregivers, the financial benefit is also part of the appeal.
"Times are a little tight, people would like to have a little more financial stability and maybe have some extra spending cash," said Eric Kolesar, owner of Seniors Helping Seniors Treasure Valley.
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But those who do the work say the most meaningful rewards can't be measured in dollars.
"I have one guy with memory care, and when I get ready to leave, he sings The Hills Are Alive with the Sound of Music and hugs me, and sometimes I get a kiss on the top of my head. You can't get any better than that," caregiver Susan Hill said.
Find more information about becoming a caregiver on the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare.
