Vital Aging - Real Life Story: Seniors Stay in Their Prime |
Reprinted with permission of the Noblesville (IN) Daily Times, July 5, 2005 |
By Teresa White, Staff Writer |
Activity Center Helps Older Residents Keep Healthy and ActiveCARMEL — It's the 9 o'clock rush. Clients file in and scan their membership cards at the front desk, tapping the touch screen to register their activities. Several walkers already circle the track. Aerobics instructors open their classes with stretches and lively greetings. Fitness equipment stands ready for use.
The atmosphere at Prime Life Enrichment activity center in Carmel resembles that of many private health clubs but with one distinct difference: it's tailored to meet the needs of the nation's fastest growing population, those 50 years and older.
"The face of aging has changed a lot," Sandy Stewart said. As executive director of Prime Life Enrichment Inc., Stewart describes the "new senior" as someone who is more active after retirement. The image of frail, dependent elderly people has been replaced by what Stewart calls "vital aging." "It's not the end — it's the beginning of the second part of life," she said.
Prime Life's activity center serves as the hub for programming designed to meet the social, physical and emotional needs of its clients. Activity coordinator Lori Lewis surveys clients' interests and then schedules events that include everything from mah jongg to yoga, day trips to lecture series, piano lessons to euchre tournaments and writing classes to fitness activities.
Another part of Lewis's job is to publish Prime Life's newsletter, which lists the agency's news, services and activities. Member input is valued and welcomed, according to Lewis. She said many times clients stop by her office to make suggestions.
Some members simply visit the center to socialize with friends and peers. According to Stewart, many seniors become socially isolated when a spouse dies or when they move to Hamilton County to live closer to their grown children. In these cases, they often don't know the community, especially people their own age. Prime Life's activity center provides a gathering place and a network of peers. The agency also provides support groups for caregivers and those grieving the loss of a loved one.
Operating as a private, nonprofit agency, PLE serves not just those who visit the activity center but any Hamilton County residents aged 50 years and older. According to Stewart, one vital service the agency provides is transportation. Drivers, including senior volunteers, use the agency's vans to taxi clients between their homes and doctors' appointments or to and from the activity center. Between July 1, 2004, and May 31, 2005, the agency provided transportation for 366 Hamilton County seniors.
Social Workers Provide Referrals and In-Home ServicesTransportation is a "big issue" for many seniors, said Don McPherson, director of information and assistance for the Central Indiana Center on Aging. McPherson said his agency receives about 3,000 calls per month from Marion County and neighboring counties, Hamilton included. His staff of nine has been trained as social workers so they can make referrals to local agencies and services and arrange in-home services for those who need it. With two- to three-year waiting lists for many services, McPherson said CICOA often refers Hamilton County clients to Prime Life Enrichment.
"In-home services tend to be less expensive for the state and federal government and small things can help people stay in home rather than nursing homes," he said. "The population is aging so these programs are going to have more demand for funding."
Hamilton County's overall growth belies the increase in its senior population. In the 10 years between the 1990 and 2000 censuses, the county's 55-and-older population increased by 57.4 percent, while the seven counties surrounding Marion County increased an average of 24.5 percent. From July 2004 to May 2005 the number of clients Prime Life Enrichment served increased 35 percent over the previous year.
To keep up with growing operational costs, Stewart recently asked the Hamilton County Commissioners for increased funding. Her request was approved and now needs the County Council's approval. Stewart said that in today's economic climate when funds are limited, it meant a lot to her that the commissioners acknowledged the importance of her agency's services. "The quality of life in the community is dependent upon the services we provide," she said.
In the past Hamilton County funding has represented about 15 percent of Prime Life's revenue. The agency also receives revenue from United Way, state and federal government, grants from foundations, client service fees, activity sponsors, individual and corporate donors.
Stewart said Prime Life also tries to be creative in raising money for its programs. The activity center operates a craft and resale shop and a recycling center. Operating as the official recycling site for the city of Carmel, volunteers and one part-time staff member collect newspapers, office paper, cardboard and aluminum cans. A grant from the Indiana Department of Environmental Management allowed the agency to buy a forklift and cardboard baler, but Stewart said the work is still labor intensive.
In fact, Stewart credits her many volunteers and the generosity of the community with helping the agency keep up with the growth. In addition to money and in-kind donations, last year 200 volunteers donated more than 25,000 hours of service to Prime Life Inc. — the equivalent of $440,926 paid hours.
Stewart calls it "one of the evidences of the goodness of humanity. They think of other people."
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