Services for Seniors

As people reach their golden years they often find daily tasks becoming harder to complete. This might be something like cleaning the house or running errands. Maybe the thought of standing in the kitchen to prepare a meal makes you exhausted. If this sounds familiar to you don't worry there are programs out there meant to help. You might be wondering how you would pay for these programs living on fixed income. Relax; most of the services out there to help seniors are free or paid for by your health insurance.

If you find you are having trouble keeping your house tidy, or doing your laundry there are home health agencies that will have someone come to your house and help out. They can come daily or a few times a week depending on your needs. This service for seniors can really be a blessing. If you find that you are not stable on your feet like you used to be, standing to clean the house for long periods of time could be a danger. These home health workers will help you with the cleaning, laundry, and cooking. They can also help by running errands for you, or taking you to do them. Many seniors do not realize there is help like this available so they just do without or wait for a family member or friend to check if they need anything. To see about getting a home health worker to come and assist you with your daily tasks talk to your Dr. He will be the one to recommend you for the help. Ask him for some referrals to home health agencies in your area. You also might ask around with your friends to see if they can give you a positive recommendation for one. Next you will have to meet with an agency and discuss your needs. This is when you will decide when the home health aide will visit your house. The Dr. will recommend how many hours of help you need a week.

If you feel that isn't enough time ask the Dr. to raise the amount of hours he is suggesting. The agency will take care of all the paper work that deals with your insurance. The insurance company may have a set number of hours they will pay for; you will have to ask them. Sometimes if the Dr. tells them of the importance that you get help the insurance company will reconsider and allow you more hours.

Another great service for seniors would be the Wheels on Meals Association.
If you find you are having a hard time preparing meals you might consider the Meals on Wheels program in your local area. They provide a warm meal that is brought to your house each day, or they leave dinners that can be placed in a microwave to be heated. Sometimes these meals are completely free of charge. They base the price from you income. This means you might have to pay a small fee each week to have the meals brought to your home. This fee could be as small as $5.00, but think of the time you will save by not having to try and fix the meals yourself. Some of the different meals on Wheels organizations provide more then one meal a day. They might bring a hot lunch and then leave a cold supper tray with a sandwich and salad and fruit. This service for seniors is available long term or for a short period of time. Maybe you need the meals while you recover from an illness or injury.

Maybe you need transportation to a doctor's appointment or other outing and have no way to get there. Several communities offer free transportation to seniors. Usually you just have to call the place offering the transportation and allow a few days notice and they will pick you up at your doorstep. Find out about this great service for seniors by calling your local Community Action office. If you do not have a Community Action in your area call the local courthouse. They should be able to provide you with the information you need. This way you don't have to worry about how you will get out to do errands or to appointments.

If you are finding it harder to read or see the TV you might need an eye exam. There is a service for seniors that offer free eye care if you haven't had an exam in the past three years. The National Eye Care Project will provide eye care to people over the age of 65 and they will except Medicare as full payment for the eye care service. They will also provide eye care for one year free of charge. If you do not have any health insurance the eye care services will be free. To find out more about this great service offered to seniors call 1-800-222-EYES (3937).

These are just a few of the great services offered to seniors. Check with your church or doctors office to find out about any services for seniors that they are aware of. There is no reason to live your golden years doing without the basic necessities. Don't be too proud to ask for help, that is what these services are there for. If you are able to and have the spare time consider volunteering at a place offering services to seniors. They can always use an extra pair of hand, and you will be making a difference in someone's life.