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Home for the Holidays
A Time for Families/ Friends to Reassess Needs
Orleans/ Essex Counties -- The holiday season is a time for families and friends to gather together. For seniors who spend much of their time alone, “home for the holidays” may be a perfect time to talk with their adult children and caregivers about changes in their health, their needs for the coming year and how to meet those needs.
Wintertime in northern Vermont can be especially challenging. Snow and cold weather contribute to the isolation of seniors, and needs as diverse as traveling to medical appointments, shopping and preparing nutritious food, and getting together with friends may go unmet. With a little assistance from their children and/or caregivers, the holidays may be a good time for the elderly to understand and explore the services available in our area that can make the winter more tolerable, safer and healthier.
“Most seniors would prefer to remain at home even as their health starts to limit their ability to meet all of their needs without assistance,” says Debra Hunt, President of Northeast Kingdom Homecare, Inc.
Northeast Kingdom Homecare (334-7604), located in Newport, offers personal caregivers who provide in-home assistance to a large number of seniors throughout Orleans and Essex counties. Caregivers help with personal needs such as bathing and dressing, prepare meals, assisting with household chores, and companionship. They provide services for as few as three or four hours a week up to twenty-four hours a day.
Cathy Rossi, Director of Homecare for NEKHC reports, “Even in the worst snow days, we take our responsibility seriously and get out to our client’s homes to make sure their needs are met and they are safe.”
Kenneth Gordon is the Executive Director of the Northeastern Vermont Area Agency on Aging. Organizations such as the Area Agency on Aging (334-2190) can help develop care plans that pull together programs to meet individual needs. The agency can also help identify programs and resources for those whose funds are limited.
“People are urged to call the Senior Helpline at 1-800-642-5119 to get information on local resources,” says Gordon.
The Meeting Place (334-7604) located at 100 Second Street in Newport is an adult day program open Monday –Friday from 7:30AM-5:00PM. It provides a group setting for seniors who need care during the day. This is a place for socialization, physical and mental stimulation, and for delicious, nutritious meals and snacks. Adult Day Services are becoming an increasingly important part of the care spectrum for aging parents who can’t be left home alone, but don’t want to enter a nursing home.
Nancy Warner is the Executive Director of the Orleans/Essex Visiting Nurse Association (334-5213) located at 46 Lakemont Road in Newport. OEVNA is a state-certified home health agency with numerous programs to assist with medical needs and homecare. You can contact OEVNA directly or talk with your doctor about a referral to OEVNA. Visiting nurses can provide in-home health care visits and on-going monitoring of a client’s needs. Hospice programs can bring support and care into the homes for those who need it. Other programs to be explored include Meals on Wheels and the variety of Senior Meals sites, Senior Centers, and wellness and exercise programs offered at the Community Wellness Center, IROC, and other locations.
All of these organizations serving seniors believe in the dignity of the individual and the right of individual choice. One of the greatest gifts family and friends can give this season is helping a loved one find the care needed to keep them safe at home or in whatever setting they select.