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For the year 2009, the need for social service was on the rise: fuel assistance; health insurance issues; Medicare Part D program, filing property tax abatements and deferrals, prescription costs (Prescription Advantage Program), protective service issues (elder abuse), and including the age bracket of 50-59 that are often ineligible for government programs. With this growing need, the Department continues to find themselves on the frontline of providing services and referrals. This, in turn, has increased the amount of home visits by the Director, Outreach Worker
and Respite Care Worker in order to meet the needs of the most critical cases. Another way the Department did further outreach was through our Telephone Reassurance Program. With the assistance of our part-time Outreach Worker, she was able to make weekly calls (762 calls and 50 home visits this year) to our most critical homebound elders and home visits when needed. This type of communication not only keeps the Department connected in case of emergencies but develops a bond of trust between our worker and elder.
Other monthly services include Podiatrist, SHINE coordinators (Serving the Health Information Needs of Elders), Marilyn Penny and Charlotte Stewart, and Shear Pleasure (hair stylist) to seniors in need. Annually, volunteer accountants from VITA, beginning the first week of February through the first week of April assist Wilmington elders with their taxes at the Wilmington Town Hall Auditorium. For 2009, there were 180 elders served through this program, and several of them were able to receive additional monies due to the “Circuit Breaker” tax break.
The Department collaborates closely with the Board of Health Town Nurse, Judy Baggs, who visits the Senior Center weekly to provide blood pressure clinics, diabetic screenings and hosting weekly health sessions to address elder’s health concerns and medical needs.
Mrs. Baggs is able to make home visits to elders whom are unable to attend the Senior Center due to health ailments.
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