Aug 10 2008
Volunteers Fill Void for Seniors Needing Aid, Companionship
After living on her own in senior housing for 26 years, Cornelia Kane turns to volunteer Barbar Ginhardt of Little Brothers - Friends of the Elderly for help and support.
After more than a quarter century living on her own in senior housing, 95-year-old Cornelia Kane of Philadelphia finally needed help. “I used to be able to do things myself, but now with my health concerns, I need more assistance,” she says. Kane’s situation represents a growing need among America’s seniors – not ready to live with full-time care, many still need a helping hand to get through daily routines.
By 2030, the number of Americans 80 and older is expected to rise from 9.3 million (in 2000) to 10.5 million, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. With this increased average life span, comes an increased demand on resources from health to social services. Volunteer-based organizations like Little Brothers – Friends of the Elderly (LBFE), who assist Kane in her Philadelphia home, are stepping in to fill a growing need.
“Just hearing her voice makes me feel good,” Kane says about the LBFE volunteer who visits her. “My family all live a long distance and come to stay with me when they can. Yet having someone to check on me every day, even if it’s just to talk, is a real jewel in my life.”
The effects of an aging population resonate with organizations like Little Brothers – Friends of the Elderly. For most of its eight chapters in the US, the average age of the seniors the group serves has risen to 85, with an increasing number of their elders approaching centenarian status. For example, in the agency’s Philadelphia chapter, 20 percent of the “old friends” to which they provide services are over the age of 90. LBFE has even had instances where their visiting volunteers are seeing two generations of one family.
“It is important when we think of the needs of older adults today that we focus not just on their physical needs, but also on the importance of companionship and friendship,” says Lea Ames, national executive director of LBFE.
Older Americans spend less time socializing and communicating as they age, according to the “Older Americans 2008: Key Indicators of Well-Being” report issued by the Federal Interagency Forum on Aging-Related Statistics. In fact, Americans between 55 and 64 spend 13 percent of their leisure time doing activities like visiting friends and attending social events, while that proportion decreases to10 percent for those 75 years and older.
Isolation and loneliness can produce emotional pain as well as mental and physical deterioration. Social networking can have a positive impact on the health and well-being of seniors. University of Chicago researchers found that lonely older adults had greater age-related increases in blood pressure and poorer sleep quality than elderly who are more socially active.
So what can you do to help?
* Perhaps you have an elderly neighbor that doesn’t have the support of family or friends in the area or an older adult that you regularly see in the grocery store on their own. See if they would be interested in having someone visit them or help out with errands. Community service starts with one person, one action.
* Intergenerational relationships can have a positive impact on older and younger adults. Consider organizing a group of students from the local school or a scout troop to come visit older adults in your community’s senior housing project or assisted living facility.
* If you have a parent or older relative that lives a longer distance from you and needs companionship or assistance, contact the local Chamber of Commerce to see if there are services or agencies, such as Little Brothers – Friends of the Elderly. For more information, visit www.littlebrothers.org or call (312) 786-1032.
* Don’t underestimate the impact that companionship or a friendly gesture can have on someone, especially an older adult who may lack strong social networks. Reach out to that person — think of how your life will be enriched making a new friend and helping out someone at the same time.
Courtesy of ARAcontent