About - Companions For Seniors

MISSION STATEMENT

Our mission is to help seniors live independently and with dignity in the comfort of their own home by empowering them to lead an active and enriched lifestyle, connecting them with their community and nurturing meaningful relationships.

Our Story

Sam Tatel had a promising career in retail management, except for one small problem: He hated it.

He found the work unfulfilling and uninteresting, and even though he was frequently interacting with the public. For him, it seemed to lack the personal and human touch.

After volunteering at a Chicago senior center, he realized that he had been missing his calling: He loved working with seniors. Teaching art, playing music, or enjoying an outing didn’t feel like work at all, and he embraced the wisdom, humor, and perspective that accompanied spending time with older folks.

After taking a job with the Council for Jewish Elderly, a nonprofit organization, he realized there were many unmet needs in the marketplace of caring for seniors. Many needed help that went beyond the traditional offerings at senior centers and adult living facilities. Many seniors wanted a regular companion to take them to the grocery store, accompany them to a doctor’s appointment, or just get through some day-to-day challenges. He decided to start Companions for Seniors, and he would be the first companion.

He found a steady stream of new clients, typically referred by the adult children of struggling seniors. Though many don’t like to admit it to their children, a large number of seniors need help doing simple errands, like getting back and forth to the bank or post office, as well as household chores like unpacking groceries and tidying up.

Word spread quickly and Sam started to add more companions and more services. Today, the company offers a variety of services from one-off trips to 24-hour-a-day care.

In his spare time, Sam enjoys spending time with his wife and children – everything from sledding and snowball fights in the winter to tennis and time at the beach or the pool in the summer.

He’s proof positive that your passion can become your career.

Our Team