If you are still able to do basic activities of daily living such as dressing, eating, transferring, toileting, continence and bathing but are having difficulties performing instrumental activities like cooking, cleaning and driving, you don’t have to move into an assisted living facility or hire in-home service providers right away. There are simple long term care options for you. Below are some of them.
1. Meals on Wheels
The Meals on Wheels program is a community based service that deliver meals to individuals who need help in preparing food. Most of the program’s recipients are, and most of its volunteers are also seniors who are still able to drive a car, among others.
The Meals on Wheels Association in America (MOWAA), a not for profit organization that advocates for the social, physical, economic and nutritional betterment of seniors, recognizes that hunger is a serious threat that millions of American seniors face. To alleviate their condition, MOWAA organize volunteers who want to provide meals services to the needy, commonly the seniors. They can be reached at phone number 1-888-998-6325 or visit their website http://www.mowaa.org for more information.
2. Transportation Services
For a minimal fee, seniors who have difficulties driving can take advantage of transportation services offered by community groups. Some organizations also provide this service for free. Seniors Services Transportation, a small group of volunteers in Seattle, Washington, is one of the many community groups that offer transportation services to the elderly. The service they provide helps seniors become as mobile as possible. In general, the recipients of transportation services are people who bear the following characteristics:
· Aged 60 and older · Residents of the community · People who, because of their condition, do not have other means of transportation |
3. Telephone Reassurance
A large percentage of the country’s elderly population lives alone with no family member to check their safety. Telephone reassurance programs provides daily phone call to ensure their safety and check their overall condition. These calls give seniors a certain degree of security in their choice to continue living independently.