My Personal Journey

by Creative Artistic Companions founder Ladd Boris

I always considered working with seniors a calling. Never did I imagine it would become a career.

 The first chapter of my life was devoted to the pursuit of a career on the operatic stage, when I sang in the regional houses of the United States before singing at the Metropolitan Opera. Then a career change found me performing Broadway shows and regional theatre, which I did for twenty years.  All the while I found time to work with the elderly on a volunteer basis.

 As time went on, the desire to be of service to the community began to outweigh the need to perform. So, second chapter: I became a Family Service Counselor helping families deal with the decisions around final arrangements at the time of loss. It was during this period that I broadened my work with the senior community, studying the conditions that challenged them, especially Dementia and Alzheimer’s. It wasn’t too long before I made the connection: through my love of opera, theatre, ballet, travel, and food — and Turner Classic Movies — I could actually make a difference in someone’s life.  

 I began my next chapter and became the Senior Companion for Cultured Companions, where I remained for four years before going out on my own and starting Creative Artistic Companions. When our seniors outlive their spouses and friends, the later years in their life can be a difficult and sometimes lonely thing. Independent adults facing the realities of advanced age deserve to still enjoy the experiences that always brought them joy. To be respected and appreciated by someone who understands that certain abilities have diminished.

 The calling I once had — to get attention by performing and singing on a stage — has shifted to giving that attention to someone who still wants to enjoy all that life has to offer. This is the mission of Creative Artistic Companions: to match your loved one with someone who wants to give them the attention they deserve. Who loves the same things they love. Who won’t just be a companion, but a friend.