PARKERSBURG According to the West Virginia Bureau of Senior Services, as the nation's aging population grows, about 27,000 Baby Boomers in the Mountain State will turn 60 each year.
Those who fall into the "senior citizen" category can find a variety of community services available, everything from getting a hot meal, companionship and recreation to getting a ride to doctor's appointments or in-home services.
West Virginia ranked third in having the oldest population as of the last census. A fifth of West Virginians, 362,795, are 60 or older and many require assistance, suffer from depression or Alzheimer's disease and live in rural, isolated areas. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, in 2008, 15.5 percent of the state's population was 65 and older, compared to 12.6 percent nationwide. In Wood County, 16.3 percent of the population was 65 and older.
The Wood County Senior Citizens Association, headquartered on Market Street, offers a variety of services, according to Doug Deem, director. One of those services is transportation to doctor's appointments, pharmacies, grocery stores and the senior center. Free hot lunches are provided at three senior sites and meals are also available for delivery to the homebound.
"Anyone needing the transport service can call the office, we need to know at least a week ahead of the appointment. It's mostly for appointments within Wood County," Deem said, noting the association has been able to weather gas prices so far. "We have one vehicle that gets 30 miles to the gallon so we're OK, and we are going to be receiving a truck with heating and cooling units on it so we can keep the noontime meals hot or cold which will make delivery to the rural areas a lot easier," Deem said.
The free lunches are offered at Market Street, Unity Plaza in south Parkersburg and Hillview Terrace in Vienna. The meals, for those 60 and over, are served at no charge and friends can eat for $3.50. The lunches are served around 11:30 a.m.
Deem said the center needs reservations a day in advance. With the meal delivery program, hot lunches are delivered Monday through Friday, and occasionally on weekends to the homebound.
"They don't have to be bed-ridden, just someone who can't get out, isn't able to cook. It might be a temporary situation where the senior had surgery and is recovering at home, they may just be on the program for a short while, or it might be someone who needs the service for a longer time," Deem said.
The meal program covers all of Wood County and is available to anyone 60 and over. The meals are delivered by paid and volunteer drivers.
The association also offers in-home care for the disabled. They can be under 60, from 18 up, or 60 and above. There are various programs, some require eight-hour-a-day assistance while some only need a couple of hours a day, Deem said.
"It may just be a need for simple chores like doing laundry, meal preparation, or they may need respite care for someone in the home who is providing care for an Alzheimer's patient, for instance," he said.
The center also offers bingo games and other social activities.
There is no charge for the transportation service, although donations are welcome since the agency relies on donations for part of its funding. For more information on any of the center's services, call 304-485-6748.
FaithLink is a nonprofit organization providing a helping hand to the elderly who need assistance to remain independent at their home. The program, which operates out of the Volunteer Action Center, began in 1996. Trained volunteers provide a variety of services including light housekeeping, companionship, transportation to doctor's appointments, grocery shopping and telephone reassurance. FaithLink services are provided at no charge. Volunteers recruited from area churches complete an application, must provide references and attend a two-hour training session. The volunteers don't provide personal care, administer medication or do home repairs.
"We currently have about 150 active volunteers and more than 300 care receivers. Our volunteers offer basic assistance to help our care receivers be able to remain independent and in their own homes as long as possible. Services might include light housekeeping, help with paperwork, some of the volunteers read to the care receivers, or just spend time with them, providing companionship," said Jean Phillips, FaithLink director.
Transportation is provided by volunteers to medical appointments which might include Columbus, Morgantown or even Pittsburgh or Cleveland.
"If we cannot help them, we can refer them to someone who can, or get them the information they need to get help," said Melissa Ogden, program services coordinator.
For more information on FaithLink and its services, or to schedule a speaker to learn more about the program, call the FaithLink offices in the Volunteer Action Center of the Dils Center at 304-424-3457.
For more information on other services available to seniors, you call the 211 Information/Referral hotline.
