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I'm a senior living alone: How do I find help?

Posted by mogal1951 @mogal1951, Jul 18, 2018

I am a senior woman that lives alone. I fear getting more severely depressed and needing help in my home with meds and food. NO...I do not have ANYONE...been way too depressed for way too long for opportunity to meet people. Does anyone know an organization I can contact that can find help for me? ANY suggestions/ideas would be greatly appreciated. THANKS!

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marbe6161 | @marbe6161 | Jun 23 6:41am
In reply to @kaylin7 "Call the local senior center. Ask them for advice getting help from a nursing assistant. Ask..." + (show)
Profile picture for kaylin7 @kaylin7

Call the local senior center. Ask them for advice getting help from a nursing assistant. Ask which place has good quality care and a good reputation. The Nursing assistant will come and do lighthousekeeping for you on the days you need her. It takes some time to evaluate you by a nurse and I'm sure Medicare covers it. Good luck...Please get the help you need😊🙏

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@kaylin7 Medicare does NOT cover in home care without a medical need. That is a temporary service. For seniors needing help around the home, they can contact their state's department on aging or area agency on aging to find out about home and community based services programs or community care programs for seniors. I think many of the suggestions people have made are right on target. Many faith based communities now have ways to connect online or stream. Those are worth checking out as it is a way to have connections even if one cannot leave home. Good luck!

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westwoman3698 | @westwoman3698 | Jun 23 9:25am
In reply to @misseygirl "I am sorry for your difficulties. Do you have “Office for the Aging” where you live?..." + (show)
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I am sorry for your difficulties.
Do you have “Office for the Aging” where you live?
They might have resources you can use if you explain your situation and what you need.
Or maybe a church group might be able to help with some of your needs. Or can point you in the right direction for help.
A Social Worker could be another resource. Your Dr or local hospital could recommend a social worker.

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@misseygirl Have you tried a local Senior Center. The city or county offices should be able to help you. Even tiny villages may have a local senior center…maybe only few days a week but you might be surprised! Good luck.

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Chuck | @chucklesg | Jun 23 10:24am

I live alone also in the country and find women singles are much more likely than us men to get help. It is thought we can help ourselves while ladies need the help but it can be just the opposite.

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wdytys | @wdytys | Jun 29 8:19am
In reply to @babbsjoy "@lindamartin I know you posted this quite a while ago, but it is new to me...." + (show)
Profile picture for babbsjoy @babbsjoy

@lindamartin

I know you posted this quite a while ago, but it is new to me. I just want you to know that I had a good friend who was a neighbor, who battled cancer for years and ultimately was placed on home hospice. She was probably exceptional in that she remained in her single story home, eventually wheelchair bound, until her death. She did exactly what you are describing, throughout her cancer treatments and beyond. She had friends who she took turns calling upon for help. She also took advantage of services provided in our community (sometimes for rides to treatments, house cleaning, etc). This was before Covid and all the delivery and other services like instacart and everything became prevalent. Since I lived so close by, I had the honor of helping her a lot off and on (household chores, support when she was in pain and afraid and needed help calling nurses, taking notes at doctors appointments, help on and off the toilet, touching base daily to make sure she was ok, etc). She had a working daughter who eventually moved back to town, but her network of friends and the other services made their time together better too. It can be done! Especially if you can afford to engage some home helpers (she could not).

I pray blessings and courage and peace to you.

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@babbsjoy Not as easy to do these days. People have become more isolated and uninterested in other people lives; and with all the migrants being driven out of the country, finding help around the house is going to just get harder. My advice to the writer is to join a church, which I think is the fastest way to join a community. Meetup groups (if they are in your area) are also good for social and fun activities.

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hraka13 | @hraka13 | 16 hours ago
In reply to @misseygirl "I am sorry for your difficulties. Do you have “Office for the Aging” where you live?..." + (show)
Profile picture for Stephanie @misseygirl

I am sorry for your difficulties.
Do you have “Office for the Aging” where you live?
They might have resources you can use if you explain your situation and what you need.
Or maybe a church group might be able to help with some of your needs. Or can point you in the right direction for help.
A Social Worker could be another resource. Your Dr or local hospital could recommend a social worker.

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@mogal1951 , or an ombudsman/person.

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susanejw | @susanejw | 3 hours ago
In reply to @methel "@lindamartin Lots of good suggestions, but I’ll add another one. Look at what you can do...." + (show)
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@lindamartin

Lots of good suggestions, but I’ll add another one. Look at what you can do. Who you can help. There are so many unmet needs in this world; so many hurting things. Then move to help others. (It doesn’t have to be people, maybe your thing will be fostering rescued dogs). And as you do it, you will help yourself.

Physically I’m a mess. Walk with a walker. Can’t hear without a hearing aid. Had a brain tumor. But I have found joy in helping individuals and organizations who need what skills I can offer. Best wishes as you go forward.

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@methel Can you please share what you found to do? Thanks.

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methel | @methel | 2 hours ago
In reply to @susanejw "@methel Can you please share what you found to do? Thanks." + (show)
Profile picture for susanejw @susanejw

@methel Can you please share what you found to do? Thanks.

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@susanejw
I am blessed in that I have the use of my hands and one good eye and so these things are possible for me. (Walking without a walker is not).
I crochet blankets for project Linus. They are nation wide in the U.S. , and you can check its website. Also do prayer shawls for a local hospital. Finally I am looking at the letters for seniors program which involves writing notes to nursing home residents.

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