Every community–even very small ones–have support organizations available. These can look very different in different parts of the country, but all fit into a pattern. First, you have publicly funded organizations. Think about your local Department of Social Services here. Unemployment benefits, Medicaid, food stamp programs, and similar programs that are funded by tax dollars all fit into this first category.
Next, you have local non-profit organizations. Local charities and other organizations are out there geared toward helping those that need it. Food banks, clothing closets, and walk-in health clinics tend to all fit into these categories. Churches in your area that do any sort of public outreach or assistance programs also would fit here.
For profit companies can also be counted as community resources. Behind the scenes, the business models of these organizations will look different, but on the surface, these companies exist to help the public. Additionally, don’t forget that many do offer free services or consultations designed to help.
These organizations can help you figure out the best way to connect your older loved ones with the care they need. Maybe they don’t directly deal with senior care, but the local food bank might have someone that can deliver food to your older loved one once a week if they need it. A church might have someone that can stop in and talk to your mom once a month and make sure she has someone to hang out with and look forward to seeing. These organizations all play a role in the overall health of our communities and the people within them.
Community resources exist for people like you and me to learn from them. They exist to help guide us in the right direction. If you need to get some help from one of these resources, there is absolutely nothing wrong with that. That’s why they are there. And if you want to contribute some of your expertise to the community, there’s nothing wrong with that either. In fact, these are all very good and honorable things to do.
Sometimes getting started is the hardest part. If you’re not sure where to start in your local area, give the local Department of Social Services a call. Even if you’re not directly using a state or county sponsored organization for help, they will still be able to point you in the right direction. From here, you can get a better idea of what sort of help exists in your community and be able to follow a better plan for getting your family and loved ones the assistance that they need.
Planning ahead isn’t always possible. Accidents and medical emergencies can happen and speed up the timeline drastically, forcing you and your family to make decisions about care long before you thought you were going to.
We would be honored to be one of your resources. If you’d like to learn more about in-home care and what we do, just let us know. One of our trained professionals can help walk you through what we do and how it just might help your family.
Leave a Reply