Ryan Torres of Bluegrass Community Action Partnership presented the commission with details about two AmeriCorps-funded programs serving older residents across a 10-county district, including Boyle County.

Torres said the Senior Companion program provides matched peer volunteers to help clients remain independent at home, offering companionship, light household assistance and respite for family caregivers. "For the clients, it is a completely free program," Torres said. Volunteers receive a $4-per-hour stipend that does not affect benefits, which Torres said typically adds roughly $300–$400 per month for participants. He told the commission the district currently has about 36 volunteers serving roughly 78 clients and that the program is funded for up to 40 volunteers.

Torres also described the Foster Grandparent program — now in its second year in Boyle County — which places volunteers in Head Start and early-childhood classrooms to provide mentorship and additional social-emotional support. "Most seniors like to be with the younger, the babies," Torres said, adding the program places volunteers in rooms with children ages 3 to 5 and sometimes with infants.

Torres noted all volunteers undergo federal and state background checks, fingerprinting and registry checks before placement. He told commissioners the program needs additional clients (not volunteers) in Boyle County and said staff and community members should direct interested families to bluegrasscommunityaction.org.

Commissioners thanked Torres for the presentation; several noted the value of aging-in-place supports. The commission did not take formal action on the presentation.