I was directed to Ben and this wonderful service by a very resourceful social worker at my mom's hospital. I didn't know what to expect when I contact Ben. My mom has dementia and while she was mostly functional on her own, I know the loss of her ability to drive killed her independence and caused her depression. A lot of her friends are unable to drive themselves and were not always able to drive out to her area which is somewhat out of the way. I work long hours and i know one of the biggest things when it comes to cognitive issues of any kind is to stay active and engaged. It's also difficult when the political and social atmosphere are so volitile. I met with ben a few times, once on my own and a few times with my mom. He was able to feel out her personality and was able to find someone close to our area to help out. My mom's activity partner was amazing! She took her to the most unique experiences like local art exhibits and her favorite libraries. Mobility issues has kept mom from continuing with the service but I'm so thankful she was able to help out. I found it interesting that I could come home and mom would tell me ith stories and while I thought she 'recalled them incorrectly' she usually was pretty accurate and that was a great sign! If you have an aging loved one who needs to get out and socialize, I HIGHLY recommend this service! read more

We have had a wonderful experience with the Engage as You Age team. Their work is truly unique, with a commitment to individualized, empowering, and empathetic connections. Ben took the time to meet with my dad and get to know him personally in order to connect him with the right person. They get out into my dad's new neighborhood for walks and cafes, which has allowed him to access and become part of his own local community. This has helped him feel recognized and to belong  - this is truly what Engage as You Age is all about - helping people build and access community, peers, and make connections beyond family and caregivers. We could not recommend more highly! read more

I am so thankful that Engage as You Age exists. I was recommended this service for my 98 year old father-in-law by both a case manager and a neurologist. Signing up with EAYA has been a game changer for my father-in-law and much relief for me and my husband. The people that have been brought into my father-in-law's life from EAYA are very thoughtful and can tap into his interests in art and history. My father-in-law looks forward to each visit with his new friends.The owner, Ben Lewis, is always responsive, happy to chat, bounce ideas off of and goes beyond just the visits. He is very invested. read more

Ben and his staff have greatly helped me care for my sister from the east coast. They help us with their kindness as well, besides their actual services. I can't imagine providing good care for my sister without their help. In emergencies they have gone the 'extra mile' - always with compassion, in ensuring my sister is treated as special - she is liked, and made to feel comfortable and cared for. They really help reduce stress for both of us. read more

My 79 year old friend is vibrant and engaging despite her 4-year bumpy journey with Alzheimer's. As her trustee and POA, I've been overseeing her housing and care in a memory care community, and wanted to make sure she had good companionship and opportunities to be out in nature, walking and birdwatching. Luckily, I found Engage as You Age, and couldn't be happier with their kindness, attentiveness, and excellent services. Ben has been able to match my friend with the perfect companions, who visit for several hours three times a week, and has been wonderful in communicating any observations or concerns, or just fun adventures, often with photos. I couldn't be more pleased with Ben and his team, and I know it makes my friend happy to have these outings. read more

My very fit 94 yr old mom was the first woman to graduate Columbia business school. Sitting idle isn't in her repertoire; she's interested in living every day with some kind of interesting experience and although she has dementia she is willing and ready. I've used a number of care agencies in the past, but nothing that remotely compares to the kind of attentiveness Ben and his team have given my mom. Not only do they take her to these engaging and fun places-some very niche San Francisco experiences!-they always treat her kindly and respectfully. She looks forward to whatever they have planned and without fail, they begin their daily outings with her favorite cappuccino and croissant! Anyone can just show up to a job but Ben and his team really understand what my Mom needs to thrive; she feels safe, comfortable, valuable, has fun and is stimulated with each outing. And I can relax knowing how well-cared for she is. In addition, Ben has always been willing to step in and help when we need something even peripherally related to mom, whether picking her dog up from the vet or medicines at the pharmacy. This level of kind, personal attention is really rare and hasn't wavered since we met Ben and his team nearly three years ago. I'm so very grateful having their help! read more

Partnering with Engage as you Age(and Ben) has been a wholly positive experience for both myself and my husband for the last year. I use the word partnering because that's what it is-my concerns for my husband and Ben's responses to them are thoughtful, sensitive, nuanced. There is nothing on autopilot.The person that Ben chose to work with us is great- energetic, creative, and understanding of the unique nature of my husband's behaviors.He brings books featuring photography for stimulation, and finds music and stories to further encourage conversation, recollections and to just generally have fun! I recommend Engage as you Age without any hesitation! read more

Ben and his caregivers were so wonderful to work with as we sought additional care for my mother with dementia. They always chose outings and visits appropriate for her and were very flexible when needed. My mother looked forward to her weekly visits with Nancy and Natalie. Their genuine fondness for my mom and interest my mother's life was apparent. We felt very fortunate to work with them and highly recommend Ben and the Engage As You Age team. read more

Superb! Engage As You Age has been fabulous for my wife and me. My wife has cognitive impairment, and I had tried many sources in the North Bay to provide support and companionship for my wife. Only EAYA succeeded, and it has succeeded brilliantly. EAYA has a team of compassionate, skilled companions, and its owner, Ben, met with my wife a few times and eventually matched her with a wonderful woman. Now, after about a year of outings, my wife loves that companion as a dear friend, almost a sister. They go out for weekly adventures tailored to my wife's likes and abilities. She returns elated. Meanwhile, I get a much needed weekly respite. I am hoping to make it more than once a week. The owner, Ben, is a brilliant, practical, experienced adviser and helper during this tough time. I have already highly recommended EAYA to others. I highly recommend EAYA to anyone with a relative suffering from cognitive impairment. read more

I can't say enough good things about Ben Lewis and Engage as you Age. Someone suggested their services to help keep my Dad mentally and physically active after he moved into a memory care facility. Ben personally visited my Dad weekly, and it made a tremendous difference in the quality of his life. My Dad had dementia, but still had a strong desire to be out in the world. Although we visited my Dad frequently, he really benefited from Ben's weekly interactions. Ben was quickly able to figure out what my Dad liked to do. My Dad talked about the fun they had together, and I know it made a huge difference in his well-being. What I didn't realize that I would get with Engage as You Age, is all the support for me! Ben is very experienced in dealing with care facilities, and as I learned on this journey with my Dad, you need to be on top of things constantly. Ben would relate his observations to me weekly after each visit, and it was very reassuring to have another set of eyes on the situation. One of Ben's observations led to me discovering that my Dad had been mistreated by the staff. I ended up moving my Dad to another facility. I am so thankful that Ben took the time, not only to communicate with me weekly, but to be available to discuss my Dad's situation whenever I needed him. When I look back on the journey of care for my Dad, I know that Ben's involvement made a huge difference. I am so grateful to Ben. read more

My 102-year-old mother has been an excellent card player all her life. She started playing bridge and mahjong in college and is also a crackerjack Dominoes, Scrabble, and Gin Rummy player. By 2018, most of her card-playing friends had died, and she was lonely. That's when I met Ben Lewis, founder of Engage As You Age. I was thrilled to learn that he could provide a game player for my mom every week. Judy comes to my mom's room every Tuesday and plays Rummikub, Dominoes, and Scrabble with her for two hours. My mom looks forward to their visits. After the visit, Judy sends me a report with her observations about my mom's interactions. These reports are entertaining and valuable in showing any behavior changes from previous visits. Ben has also taken my mom to her dentist appointments, which has been a Godsend. I am so grateful to have found Engage As You Age. They truly live up to their name with reliable and professional care for elders. read more

This is a terrific organization! Ben runs Engage As You Age and he is wonderful: kind, caring, smart, knowledgeable, reasonable and responsive. The companions Ben matched my dad with for weekly visits are also fantastic, which isn't a simple task as my dad is 83 and has dementia, diabetes and heart disease...so folks need to have a lot of patience and understanding to ensure outings go smoothly. Over the many months we have worked together I've come to trust Ben and his team completely as partners in my dad's care, which is comforting as being a caregiver can get overwhelming and lonely. If you are looking for social companionship for your aging loved one I strongly recommend contacting Ben. read more

This is so amazing! They provide a much needed service for our seniors in the area. We initially spoke to Ben the owner and he asked questions to fully understand our needs. He matched a wonderful person to meet with my mom on a weekly basis and do activities together. This allowed my senior mom to get out of the house, socialize, and feel a sense of joy she hadn't experienced in many years. Our family is so grateful for this service! read more

I can't say enough good things about this program, and Ben who runs it. I'm so appreciative for the thoughtful, personal attention I've received for my mother (who has been matched with the most wonderful companion), and for me, who is navigating a new and challenging role caring for my aging mom. This program has a direct impact on my mom's quality of life, and I love seeing her go out and do cool things each week. My mom and I have felt so very supported. read more

I've used a lot of caregivers and agencies and Engage As You Age is truly unique in that the owner, Ben Lewis, really does provide a true match for your loved one - you do NOT get the next available card in the Rolodex. Not only that, but his caregivers are intelligent, humorous, well-traveled, and can hold a conversation. My wife, who has Alzheimers dementia, was taken to botanical gardens, museums, trips to San Francisco, brunch and lunch and she was thoroughly engaged for the 3 to 4 hours of their visit. Ben is very flexible and is a natural caregiver himself. I cannot rate Ben and Engage As You Age too highly. read more

Engage As You Age is a great idea that was put into motion by Ben. The basic premise is this: - You have an aging friend or parent (I would guess alone) - They can't get up and about as much as they used to on their own - You want to keep them active Ben schedules a time to meet and get to know the individual. Once done and he gets a better understanding of what the interests and goals are, he will suggest individuals (or an individual) that is intellectually compatible and shares the same interests with that person. This allows for a very quick and stable connection between the person and the staff. In my case, my mom was having memory problems. Ben was suggested and found graduate students that were doing studies in the same field as my mom did. They spoke about history, the New Yorker, the Times, current events, and even went out for a stroll while discussing San Francisco. Engage As You Age does not try to replace family or friends; rather, it is another opportunity to keep your loved one current, active, and mentally present. All these things are so important when you get older. This service is a great find and you should give it a try. The price for keeping your mind active is priceless...luckily, this is affordable. Best of luck, -Kirk read more

Ben matched my mother up with a wonderul visitor -- who basically became a friend to my mother. She takes my mother out to coffee shops, on errands, etc.. This not only provides socialization, but also helps my mom with tasks that I am not always there to help out with. Overall... a great service! read more

Engage as You Age is the brilliant brainchild of its owner, Ben. In addition to coming up with and implementing a much-needed business idea he is one of the nicest and most perceptive people you'll ever meet. I found out about EAYA from a geriatric psychologist who evaluated my mom's memory issues and recommended their services. They provide educated and stimulating "company" who will spend time with your aging loved one. They aren't caregivers who cook, clean and drive your parent around; they are much more. Your loved one can be paired with an artist, business person, computer tutor, attorney, chess player or whoever you think would help to stimulate your loved one's mind as they age. The people who work for Ben are only allowed to work several hours a week, I'm assuming so that they can remain fresh and engaging when they are with the elders. Julie visited my mother 2 times a week for about a year. I asked to have her come work with my mom on the computer. This was a creative way to encourage my mom to have contact with the outside world since she became more and more introverted as she aged. She grew to really enjoy Julie's visits. Mainly they'd talk about my mom's interesting life and Julie would encourage mom to sit outside in the backyard and enjoy the day. It was worth every penny to have mom engage in intelligent conversation rather than watch TV day in and day out. Julie is a young retired person and great conversationalist. She and Ben were also wonderful about expressing any concerns they had about my mom's declining behaviors. Ben really acted as a coach to me, giving me so many contacts and websites that could help me at the stage where my mother was. Even though my mom has been in a care facility for a few months now and her mind is very confused, Ben still checks in with me to find out how she's doing. Engage as You Age is a godsend because of Ben and his true caring. read more

I cannot say enough good things about Ben Lewis and Engage As You Age! In a world where most people are simply trying to look out for themselves, Ben Lewis and Engage As You Age provide an invaluable service for seniors and adults who are stuck at home. Engage As You Age is unlike any other service out there and everyone should know about the great things they are doing for people! read more

5 stars to Ben Lewis and his staff for the work that they do. My mother has a new and positive outlook on life again! . They genuinely care. We are very grateful for all their efforts and concerns. Thank you! read more

My mom who has Alzheimer's was living with us and basically doing nothing during the day while I was at work. We tried taking her to an adult daycare, but the other people there were so much more progressed in the disease and my mom didn't like it. My mom's neurologist told us about Engage as You Age and it was such a gift! Ben (the guy who runs it) met with my mom to get to know her and then based on her personality, he matched her up with a grad student from UC Berkeley. We were very interested in getting my mom's story preserved so my son and future generations could know what a remarkable woman she was. Michael (the grad student) specialized in southern African American history and since my mom is an African American woman who grew up in South Carolina, he was a perfect match. He met with my mom weekly and interviewed her. He did research on his own to draw out information from her and he ended up recording their talks on my itunes! When my mom wanted, Michael would take her on walks and just have casual conversation with her because she sometimes got frustrated about not being able to remember things. He had a great way of gauging her mood and needs during each meeting. My mom loved Michael and would ask almost everyday when she would see him again. Working with Ben is wonderful too because he's very flexible about scheduling. From the couple of times I've met him, he also seems to be a genuinely good, caring person who is trying to make our world better. This business is one of those ethical businesses that you'll want to support. read more