Schizophrenia Daily News Blog

Compeer Buddies Help Recovery

We've heard good things about Compeer programs to help support the mentally ill. A recent story demonstrates how they are helping people:

Compeer buddies boost morale on path to recovery

Ed Schlaifer and Bruce Weill sit on a sofa in a Havertown coffee shop, sipping their drinks while smooth jazz flows from speakers above their heads.

This social time is big part of Schlaifer's week and has been since last year. That's when the Lansdowne man, who is recovering from schizophrenia, met Weill through Compeer of Suburban Philadelphia. The program matches people recovering from mental illness with volunteers for conversation, support and companionship.

"I found out about Compeer from my social worker at Mercy Fitzgerald Hospital in Darby," says Schlaifer, 59, a 1963 Upper Darby High School graduate who lives with and cares for his aged mother. "It breaks the monotony of being at home."

See Full Story: Compeer buddies boost morale http://tinyurl.com/dt4zk

More Information on Compeer: Compeer Web Site http://www.compeer.org/