By Julie Randolph, Information and Access Care Coordination Manager
Our independent and private culture idealizes the freedom and ability to take care of one’s own business. With all the benefits of this mindset also come some ill effects. Lost are the intergenerational pathways to caring and companionship for the good of others. The societal response to unmet needs of social interaction, assistance, compassion, and companionship tends to be the proverbial “kicking the can down the road.”
Many older adults are finding that they have entered a season of life when their need is for helpers and companions to come to them. Throughout the year, Senior Services receives requests from older adults needing chore services that are often outside of our scope of services, such as: snow removal, fall raking, mowing, assistance with iPhones and cable devices, assistance with online ordering of products and services such as grocery delivery. People who are isolated, homebound, or unable to drive, frequently face obstacles due to vision and hearing problems and mobility issues, making it challenging for them to access assistance, as they have done for many years.
Senior Services provides a variety of services that are designed to help older adults living in their own home longer. Through the Care Coordination program, we can request a Friendly Visitor volunteer to come visit homebound clients and assist with shopping and companionship. Home Care can also be provided for individuals who are in need of assistance with personal care, bathing or respite. For those who have cognitive or physical limitations affecting their ability to prepare meals, we provide nutritional support though the Meals on Wheels program.
If the need goes beyond what Senior Services can offer, we will provide you with a number of local community resources for chore service providers, giving older adults the opportunity to plan ahead for seasonal home upkeep. Often times these needs become emergent and can leave an older adult feeling fatigued from the perception of always seeking assistance. When assistance is found, specialized help often comes at a significant, or at the very least unexpected, expense. Planning ahead can help alleviate these pressures.
I encourage everyone in the community to consider “picking up that can” to help meet the needs of those in your life today. You can help the older adults in your community by:
- Increasing your exposure to a wide range of individuals and their needs.
- Volunteering to provide chore services or offer technology supports.
- Advocating for our educational system to include intergenerational service in their curriculum and extra-curricular programs.
- Checking in on your neighbor and offering practical help.
Together, we can help meet this need through mentoring and serving for a lifetime.