GUILDERLAND — A new program, Checking on Our Neighbors, is connecting isolated seniors in Rensselaer County with volunteers who provide ongoing check-ins and assurance phone calls to combat loneliness.

The program, funded through a grant from The Troy Savings Bank Charitable Foundation, is a collaboration between Community Caregivers Inc., based in Guilderland, and the Rensselaer County Office for the Aging.

“Senior adults who live alone and those with disabling conditions have been particularly hard hit by the disruption of daily life and routines that have occurred during the COVID-19 shutdown,” said Carol Rosbozom, commissioner of the Office for the Aging in Rensselaer County, in a release from Community Caregivers. “This friendly call will connect older adults and anyone with an underlying condition who are especially vulnerable if infected with the coronavirus.”

“Individuals at risk of social isolation will be paired with a volunteer, who will call them regularly to check in on them and have a friendly chat,” said Community Caregivers Executive Director Lee Lounsbury. “We can’t underestimate the importance of connecting with each other, especially with our seniors who are at home.

For more information on this free program, call Rensselaer County’s NY Connects at 518-270-2767. If you would like more information about how to volunteer, contact Linda Miller at Community Caregivers, linda@communitycaregivers.org.