Lots of people call Martha Cromartie “Mama.”
“I love taking care of people,” said Cromartie, 79, a retired LPN, who has been part of the AmeriCorps Senior Companion program in Augusta for about 14 years.
Senior Companions are volunteers 55 years-old and older who help senior adults to stay independent longer and keep them in their homes, according to Kathleen Ernce, executive director of the Senior Citizens Council. The Senior Companion program is one of the services offered through the council.
“I go into the home and help in every way I can,” said Cromartie. “They love for me to cook for them. Once I get with someone, I stay until they pass away or they no longer need me.”
Sometimes, the senior adult may need help after a surgery; at other times, they require help for many years.
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Cromartie worked with one client for more than a decade. She got so close to the family that when the woman died, the woman’s daughter asked for Cromartie’s help in planning her mother’s funeral.
That’s not a typical situation, but it shows the bonds that can be formed.
“All of our volunteers do more than they are supposed to,” said Ernce, but she conceded that people like Cromartie have big hearts and always go beyond the call.
The program is designed for the volunteers to serve 15 to 40 hours a week helping an average of two to four clients at a time. They receive training, supplemental insurance while on duty and a tax-free hourly stipend, according to Ernce.
Cromartie volunteers about 20 hours a week, four days a week, but she sometimes stays longer than needed.
Cromartie has always helped others. She spent 34 years in the medical field. She worked 21 years in labor and delivery and spent time working on other hospital floors. She moved from North Carolina to a senior citizens complex in the Augusta area after the death of her husband, and one of her neighbors suggested she get involved with the Senior Companion program.
While she was ready to retire when she did, she said she wasn’t ready to stop helping people.
In addition to the Senior Companion program, an array of advocacy services are offered through the Senior Citizens Council.
Ernce said there’s always a need for Senior Companions. To learn more, call the senior citizens council at (706) 868-0120 or visit www.seniorcitizenscouncil.org.
Charmain Z. Brackett is the Features Editor for The Augusta Press. Reach her at charmain@theaugustapress.com
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