Regional Organizations Help
the Elderly Remain Independent

As the ranks of the elderly grow, regional development organizations are helping them with health care, housing and other services that help elderly people remain independent.

The Upper Cumberland Development District, an Economic Development Administration (EDA) funded district and Appalachian Regional Commission local development district in Cookeville, Tennessee administers Helping the Elderly Live Productively (HELP) through its Area Agency on Aging, which is designated by the state. This program recruits, trains and links volunteers with individuals at risk of losing their independence. By providing volunteer assistance and linking clients with other services available in the community, HELP allows the elderly to be as independent as possible for as long as possible.

HELP provides assistance with grocery shopping, bill paying, errands, provides temporary meal delivery, letterwriting to and for elderly participants, telephone reassurance, vistitation, reading and respite care for caregivers.

HELP provides assistance with grocery shopping, bill paying, errands, provides temporary meal delivery, letterwriting to and for elderly participants, telephone reassurance, vistitation, reading and respite care for caregivers. With 40 volunteers serving about 40 clients, HELP has grown and improved from its beginnings. Volunteers are predominantly interns and Tennessee Tech students who join HELP through word of mouth and as a response to publicity. Clients must be 55 or older and homebound (meaning not able to be independent and care for themselves). Clients learn about the program from home health care nurses, other clients, publicity and doctors.

According to Sharon Vickers, HELP coordinator, ":Our program provides a bit of independence, preventing the elderly from entering nursing homes prematurely. After all, there is really no place like your own home. HELP-allows our clients to stay at home with a little assistance."

Elderly people living in rural public housing also often have limited access to supportive services. The Arrowhead Regional Development Commission-(ARDC), an EDA-funded district in Duluth, Minnesota, administers their Area Agency on Aging, designated by the Minnesota Board on Aging.

Elderly Women in Minnesota.

ARDC created a program, Developing Assisted Living Services in Public Housing, for services in a 79-unit public housing building. This program allows seniors to safely stay in their public housing homes rather than move to care facilities. Working with the Housing and Rehabilitation Authority, county human services staff and home care providers, ARDC surveyed tenant needs, determined rates for service packages and helped select assisted living service providers.

Due to its success, the program in this first building became the model for others. The program has been replicated in five additional buildings. ARDC is also duplicating the program in low-income privately owned housing and is planning to offer mobile assisted living services in the next six months. This new service would be especially welcome in rural areas. Staff will travel from building to building, providing meals, care and other services. Because of the mobility of the services, they will not be able to provide onsite nursing services.

ARDC-has also instituted a program to provide support to caregivers of the elderly. By partnering with a workplace Employee Assistance Program (EAP) provider, ARDC-is allowing employees to choose Eldercare in the Workplace services as part of their menu of benefits. The services include community resouces, workshops and one-on-one counseling.The region is currently providing these eldercare services to two employers, a small, 40-employee manufacturing firm and the local university, which employs thousands. ARDC is planning to bring these services to other regions of the state, through their EAP provider.

For more information, contact Sharon Vickers of Upper Cumberland Development District at (931) 432-4111; and Dawn Simonson of Arrowhead Regional Development Commission at (218) 722-5545.

By Melissa Levy, NADO Digest Managing Editor

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