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Report
to address needs of area seniors
"Basically, what the data
suggests is there will be an increased need here for elderly housing along
with support services," said Otis Health Care Center program
developer Bob Crego. "We have no independent elderly housing at all
(in the area) and there's a need for transportation, too, in terms of
helping people access elderly programs." Since late 2002, Crego said that
he and about 20 retirement-aged West River Valley residents have been
holding monthly meetings in an attempt to define what elderly services
would best fit the needs of the region's population. Representatives from
local elderly support groups, the Southeast Vermont Council on Aging and
the Grace Cottage Foundation also took part, and members of a Boston-based
nonprofit group known as The Medical Foundation assisted as well. A report slated for release in
late October is intended to summarize the needs of West River Valley area
seniors, Crego said. There is no course yet for funding or organization of
any subsequent programs, Crego said, but he added that he'd like to see as
much involvement on the local level as possible. "We really want to have the
entire community involved as sort of 'stakeholders' in the program,"
he said. "This area has a lot of unique challenges -- it's rural and
somewhat isolated -- but folks living here really work to either develop
their own programs or to collaborate with other communities. The whole
process has really helped people feel a sense of ownership." In a report compiled in early
June, Crego said that the 11 West River Valley area towns -- a region that
includes Athens, Grafton, Dover, Townshend, Windham and Wardsboro -- have
a higher percentage of elderly and retired residents than any other part
of Windham County or the state as a whole. From 1990 to 2000, West River
Valley towns saw an increase in the 55-64-year-old age range of about 57
percent, compared to 25.74 percent statewide. In the same time period for
the 65-to-74-year-old age range, the valley's population increased by
about 33 percent while the state's rose only 9.7 percent. "What we learned was that
this area is growing older faster than the rest of the state," he
said. "I think part of the reason, too, is that we're also seeing a
much lower birthrate here, so a greater proportion of the population is
elderly. But, typically, in rural areas, you tend to see the same trend of
an older demographic." The focus groups were initiated,
in part, as the result of local concern about the closing of the Stratton
House Nursing Home in autumn 2002, Craigo said. In addition to putting a
better definition on what elderly-care needs exist now, he continued,
Census Bureau data also provided a way for the group to see how these
needs would change over time. A grant from the Southeastern Vermont
Council on Aging funded the effort, he said. Crego said that the findings
underscored the need to establish better senior citizen outreach in the
valley. Complicating the matter, he said, the recent cessation of the Town
& Village bus service makes it more difficult for seniors to get to
the programs they need. Local transportation services are now contracted
out of the Deerfield Valley area, he said, but some area seniors face bus
rides that can be up to 90 minutes long. Edith Serke, a Windham resident
and a member of the Southeastern Vermont Council on Aging who helped to
design the focus group questions, agreed that transportation is one of the
most critical issues facing seniors in the area. "One of the most obvious
needs is to arrange transport for elderly who can no longer drive,"
she said. "In a rural place like Vermont, it's very difficult to stay
in touch with the rest of the world, or even meet your daily needs,
without transportation." Serke added that another concern
is to make sure that the elderly know what services are available to them.
Some local retirees, whose children may reside in other areas of the
country, might not have someone close by who can help them decide what
activities to take part in and make the phone calls to find out where
those services are offered. "Sometimes it's difficult
for seniors to get immediate help, even for those who might be able to
afford a home health aide or a visiting nurse," she said.
"Services are available through resources like the Senior Help Line,
but many seniors don't even realize that there is such a thing." "Most of us probably don't
plan ahead, and we tend to avoid thinking about growing old, but it would
be important even for middle-aged people to get involved and be aware of
what services there are," she added. Those who want to get involved
or would like more information can contact Crego at 365-7140, extension
164. The Vermont Senior Help Line is available at 1 (800) 642-5119. Copyright © 2002 Global
Action on Aging |
