Johnson County offers many high quality providers for older adults, from transportation help to meals and caregiver help. Regardless of your wants are – Johnson County has one thing that works!
Since 1981, the Senior Heart in downtown Iowa Metropolis has been serving its group. By way of lessons, actions and volunteer alternatives it strives to advertise wellness and independence amongst seniors.
Meals on Wheels
The Meals on Wheels program was established to help those that are unable to organize their very own meals. A pleasant driver delivers the meals on to their dwelling, checking on seniors and reporting any well being points that want consideration.
Johnson County Senior Companies gives this service to homebound older adults who’re unable to organize meals for themselves. It may be a superb approach for them to keep up their independence and keep away from being positioned in a nursing facility.
Meals on Wheels packages usually present their purchasers with social alternatives along with meals. This might embrace congregate eating websites, Friday evening dances, and group journeys organized by means of Diamond State Excursions.
Moreover, Meals on Wheels packages are sometimes a key supply of revenue for low-income seniors. These providers could also be backed by personal donors and/or the Older Individuals Act.
Nonetheless, most Meals on Wheels recipients obtain their advantages by means of authorities packages like EPIC (Enrollment for Prescription Enchancment Prices), which permits them to economize on prescription prices. About 14 of these eligible for EPIC are Meals on Wheels recipients.
Beneficiaries of Meals on Wheels are sometimes financially strapped, or have well being or mobility points which forestall them from looking for meals or making ready meals themselves. These components mix to make it troublesome for these people to entry different types of help – which is commonly why they search out Meals on Wheels within the first place.
This examine revealed that almost all Meals on Wheels recipients have an off-the-cuff help system composed of their youngster, associates and neighbors, amongst different parts. Regardless of having these elements in place, they don’t at all times obtain every day help.
Congregate Meal Eating Websites
Many seniors depend on Meals on Wheels volunteers or workers for motivation within the morning. For some, this particular supply could also be their solely probability to attach with somebody all through their day.
One of the vital parts of Meals on Wheels is its dedication to security. Each time a supply is made, volunteers or workers take further steps to make sure the senior receives ample safety towards falls, accidents and different potential well being points. This contains checking for falls, accidents and different potential hazards.
Moreover, the Meals on Wheels program emphasizes diet schooling. Consuming nutritiously is important for older adults to assist them stay unbiased and promote wholesome growing older.
Along with providing nutritious meals, many congregate meal websites additionally present well being and wellness providers like train lessons, socialization, transportation providers, instructional alternatives and different actions designed to boost the standard of life for older adults.
Johnson County Senior Companies has six senior facilities that supply an array of packages and providers to maintain older adults lively, wholesome and concerned of their communities. These embrace month-to-month bookmobiles, vacation events, strolling golf equipment, birthday celebrations – plus different specialised providers like Congregate Meal Eating Websites or Caregiver Assist. To seek out out about these packages you need to attain out to your Space Company on Ageing who can decide in case you qualify and direct you in the direction of the suitable assets.
Transportation
Dependable transportation might be an important aspect in enhancing the standard of life for older adults. With out transportation, they might really feel remoted and this might result in despair or different critical well being situations.
Johnson County Senior Companies gives a spread of transportation choices to maintain seniors lively, unbiased and linked to their favourite locations. From public transit to volunteer drivers, older adults with mobility wants have loads of choices for getting round.
SEATS is a program that gives transportation for senior residents and other people with disabilities who’ve problem getting round on their very own. The service gives vans that commonly transport purchasers to physician’s appointments, grocery shops and different locations.
Residents in want of help can make the most of a free shuttle bus service that gives on-demand transport. This on-demand service permits seniors and people with disabilities to request rides every time they need.
MyRide TN is an increasing, sustainable volunteer transportation service that has taken root in Tennessee. It makes use of volunteer drivers to move older Tennesseans to medical appointments, grocery shops and social venues.
Members have to be 60 years of age or older, reside independently and use a cane/walker for mobility. Drivers are fastidiously screened, educated, monitored and coordinated to offer secure and safe door-through-door service.
Catch-a-Journey is a group service program that gives volunteer transportation to medical appointments, meals pantries and different social providers inside Johnson County. It is obtainable to Johnson County residents who’re 60+, have a bodily incapacity or 18+ who’re going by means of life transitions with out driving their very own automobile.
Catch-a-Journey volunteers present transportation Monday by means of Friday to a spread of Johnson County locations resembling physician’s places of work, nursing properties and social providers businesses. To make the most of this program, contributors should fill out an software and be accepted into it.
Caregiver Assist
Caring for a beloved one might be annoying and overwhelming, however you aren’t alone. Many native organizations provide help to caregivers resembling schooling, counseling and help.
The Space Company on Ageing gives Caregiver Counseling, which is a complimentary in-home session with an skilled counselor. Throughout this appointment, they will assess the state of affairs, determine wants and create an individualized care plan.
Moreover, you possibly can entry coaching alternatives to scale back stress and enhance productiveness as a household caregiver. These could embrace caregiver seminars or an annual convention.
An alternative choice is the Nationwide Household Caregiver Program, which gives help to individuals caring for somebody 60 or older. There are two elements of this program: Caregiver and Grandparents Elevating Grandchildren.
Johnson County Senior Companies additionally gives a number of packages to offer in-home caregiver help. These can vary from offering a couple of hours of help with bathing, dressing or mobility to weekly treatment administration.
For additional inquiries, contact your native Space Company on Ageing or go to its referrals web page. The eligibility standards for varied packages might be discovered there as properly.
Caring Senior Service of Johnson County, a neighborhood supplier serving Cleburne and surrounding areas, prioritizes maintaining seniors at dwelling. Proprietor Kreshna Sheplear believes all seniors ought to have the choice to stay in their very own properties so long as doable.
Kansas Senior Care Act (SCA), a non-Medicaid program that gives in-home providers to individuals, permits individuals to obtain care of their properties or main locations of residence. These could embrace attendant care, respite care, homemaker and chore providers, grownup day care services in addition to transportation help. Self-direction is one other key characteristic of this program – contributors get to pick out which caregivers they want – making it perfect for people dwelling in rural communities the place there will not be many obtainable caregivers.
Volunteer Alternatives
Volunteers are important in guaranteeing that older people have entry to providers and alternatives. Johnson County senior providers is at all times looking out for enthusiastic people who can lend a serving to hand in our group.
Since 1981, Johnson County Senior Heart (JCSC) has been serving older adults in our group by selling wellness, creating social connections and offering lifelong studying alternatives. Their packages provide a spread of lessons, actions and volunteer alternatives that foster independence whereas rising group involvement.
The Heart’s mission is to advertise train, dietary wellness schooling and socialization amongst seniors. These initiatives are important in stopping persistent illness and sustaining psychological well being. The Heart works onerous to fulfill the wants of seniors by partnering with native businesses that supply preventative healthcare providers.
Catch-a-Journey: This program offers transportation to important appointments in Johnson County resembling medical, social service and meals pantries. Volunteers choose their very own schedule and mileage reimbursement is obtainable.
Residence Delivered Meals (Meals on Wheels): This program brings a scorching noon-day meal on to homebound senior adults. Volunteers ship the meals from eight diet facilities throughout the county, both as a part of an organized staff or independently as common drivers or substitute drivers.
Workplace Administration: Help Human Companies workers in any of their places of work with administrative duties like knowledge entry, answering telephones, submitting and mailings. This is a superb probability to community and become involved in your group.
TRAIL of Johnson County is a nonprofit group that strives to help older adults in sustaining their properties by providing every day check-ins, transportation and residential know-how help. Their mission is to allow seniors to reside independently, comfortably and enjoyably at dwelling.