County commissioners have long talked about getting services for seniors into the outlying areas of the county. While they weren’t able to fund the $25,000 per site for four or five day lunches and programs, they did come up with $25,000 in this year’s budget, which is funding a new outreach initiative organized through the Troy/Montgomery Senior Center, Council on Aging and Montgomery County Planning Committee for Services to the Aging.
Based on the comments from some of the 20 participants at the Eldorado Community Center, Aug. 28, the program is welcome. “We enjoy getting together and meeting new people in the community,” said Helen Weaver. “We all enjoyed the meal and all the information given out.”
Weaver thought the program on disaster preparedness, given by Marlene Dunn of the county’s Red Cross Service Center, was especially appropriate, following on the heels of flooding and weather emergencies in the region that week from the remnants of Tropical Storm Fay.
After a bag lunch of sandwich, slaw, fruit, milk, juice and cookie, and listening to Dunn, participants filled out survey forms that organizers will use to assess needs and what types of programs groups want. The forms have questions regarding participants’ awareness of services currently offered, places to indicate whether participants are caregivers for other adults or children, and whether they members of other senior groups. In addition the forms ask how frequently they’d like the outreach in their community; weekly, monthly or twice a month, and which day of the week is best for them.
Another section lists a series of possible programs they’re interested in, everything from information on health and local services to exercise, crafts and games.
“I think it’s a good thing,” said Janie Morgan. Recently diagnosed with diabetes, Morgan said she’d like to learn more about that, but she also circled bingo, exercise, quilting and crocheting on her survey.
Conversation flowed around the tables as they shared ideas about frequency and the best days for the program to continue.
Theresa Thomas, senior center director, said the center funded the first meeting at Eldorado in April, prior to county funding, to see what kind of participation they’d get. According to Thomas, 26 people turned out that day.
Thomas said it’s taken a while to get organized, to get in touch with leaders at the community centers and actually get the outreach started. The senior center hired Susan Saunders on a part-time basis to coordinate the program.
Organizers, including Ralph Beane, said they sat down with a map and decided to start with the Eldorado Community Center, since it is furthest out and covered several communities, including Uwharrie, Ophir and folks from the Lake Tillery area.
“On the first site visit, we take information about the four core agencies, the senior center, Council on Aging, RCATS and the Cooperative Extension caregiver program,” Thomas explained.
So far, programs have been held in Eldorado and Star, at the town hall community room. The first session at Brutonville is set for Sept. 23, and organizers are looking at Little River and Pekin community centers as their next targets. The initial plan called for four sites, but that can be increased depending on response. “The number of sites we can fund depends on how many days a month they want the program,” Thomas explained.
They’re already seeing results after the first Eldorado meeting. “There were a number of calls to agencies for services, the caregiver program and RCATS, that they didn’t know were available,” Beane said. A number also asked to be added to the senior center’s newsletter mailing list.
As currently scheduled the sessions begin at 11 with lunch, which can be a bag lunch or hot meal. “It all depends on what’s available through the nutrition site and Meals on Wheels vendor’s menu,” Thomas explained.
The program is being publicized through the senior center newsletter, posters put up in the communities and word of mouth.
“We’re very grateful to the county commissioners for allowing us to show them what the needs of our senior adult population are,” Thomas said. “If there are people in outlying communities who are interested in this program, I hope they’ll let us know. The wish list is for this to grow and cover all the communities where it’s needed.”
For more information, contact the Troy/Montgomery Senior Center at 572-4464.
