Aging-in-Place Help for Palisadians
The term, “Aging-Place,” has appeared recently in news articles. It means continuing to live in your house and in your community as you grow older, as opposed to moving to an assisted living facility; moving away, perhaps to Florida; or moving in with your children somewhere else in the country. There are real satisfactions that come from continuing to live in the same community over a long period of time. But as people age, the many tasks necessary to maintain a household become more difficult, and sometimes additional help is needed. Different parts of the country have experimented with programs that provide assistance to older residents who want to continue living in their own homes.
According to the latest census, there were 160 men and women over the age of 65 living in Palisades in the year 2000. Some of them lived with a spouse, some with their extended families, and some lived alone. A few members of this group have begun to meet to discuss the idea of creating a support group for senior citizens in Palisades. To identify problems facing members of this age group, we will soon send out a questionnaire to people in Palisades 75 years of age or older. We hope that you will respond. Once we have information about the needs and desires of older Palisadians, we plan to hold a meeting at the Community Center to discuss the issue.
We were curious about what help was already available from Rockland County. To answer this question, one of us went north to the Robert Yeager Health Center to interview Marilyn Wekar at the Rockland County Office for the Aging. The department offers many helpful services. For a small fee, or for nothing, people over 60 can obtain transportation, find help with minor home repairs, have meals delivered to their homes if needed, spend the day at a Senior Center (there is one in Sparkill), obtain medications at reduced fees, and get information about health insurance and long-term care from informed advisors. There is a respite program for caregivers, and an organization that provides home health aides for ten to twelve hours a week if you need non-medical help in your home, at a cost based on your income. There are subsidies for heating bills, assistance with weatherization of your home, again based on income, and other helpful services for older people. A list of the most useful programs, identified by acronyms, follows. A senior care helpline at 845-359-3444 can provide more information, assistance and referrals to specific programs.
TRIPS is an important Rockland County program that offers shared curbside-to-curbside bus service for disabled residents and those over the age of 60. The service is provided Monday through Friday, 7:00 am to 7:00 pm, and Saturday from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm. The cash fare is $1 each way; discount tickets costing 75 cents each for a book of ten may also be purchased. To request a pick-up, call the TRIPS office at 364-8747 between two and fourteen days in advance. Unfortunately, TRIPS cannot take people to Shoprite because it is in New Jersey.
To use this service you need a photo ID card, which can be obtained from the Rockland County Office for the Aging or from the Department of Public Transportation, both in Pomona. The card costs $2. To get more information about how to enroll you can call the Office for the Aging at 364-2110.
A new Rockland County program provides a $6 voucher for taxi rides from your house to a doctor’s office. To obtain a voucher by mail or for more information, call Madeline Hudson at the Office for the Aging (845-364-2108.)
CHORE SERVICE brings help with simple household repairs to disabled homeowners and those aged 60 and over. Members of this volunteer group will take on tasks like repairing leaky faucets, hanging screens and storm windows, and installing smoke detectors, without charge (except for materials). For questions about CHORE, call 364-2114.
EISEP provides case management and in-home non-medical services, 10-12 hours a week, to disabled residents and those over the age of 60. Services include helping with bathing and dressing, helping with light housekeeping, laundry, shopping, etc., assisting with meal preparation and other daily needs. Fees are based on income. For more information call 364-2115.
MEALS-ON-WHEELS offers several very useful programs. A Homebound Meal Delivery service uses volunteers to deliver meals to people who are shut-in due to illness, physical handicap or advanced age and who cannot cook or shop for themselves. There are modest fees, based on income.
Another program offers a day (9 am to 3 pm) of activities and recreation at Thorpe Senior Center in Sparkill to anyone over the age of 60. A donation is suggested but there is no fee to participate. Door-to-door transportation is provided.
Meals-on-Wheels also runs a computer-learning center, called Senior Net, administered by volunteers. Instruction is in small classes, open to anyone over the age of 50. Modest fees are charged for the classes. For more information on any of these three programs call 624-6325.
CAREGIVER RESPITE gives a free weeklong stay at a licensed adult facility for persons 60 and over to provide relief for the caregiver. For information, call 364-3444.
HICAP provides information and counseling on Health Insurance. For information, call 364-2102.
WRAP offers assistance with essential home repairs and weatherization for financially eligible seniors. For information, call 364-2101
HEAP provides subsidies on heating bills for people over 60 meeting income guidelines. For information, call 364-2108.
All of these programs are helpful but may not solve the specific problems that some individuals are having. That is why we urge you to fill out the questionnaire we will send you, and to express your feelings on the subject. If you have questions or comments about this issue, you can call Alice Gerard at 359-4338.