More help available for Placer County's seniors

One of the most important responsibilities we each will have at one time or another is advocating for an older relative or friend who needs help. About 140,000 seniors ages 60 and over are in Placer County today and that number is expected to triple by 2050. Many seniors in our neighborhoods need assistance from family, county resources and senior-based organizations. Help ranges from finding a qualified home health aide, nurse, financial adviser, housekeeper, handyman to driver. Unfortunately, it's often difficult negotiating help for an older relative, who perhaps fell or suffered a debilitating stroke and isn't strong enough yet to walk on their own. Or they might have regular essential medical appointments with no way to get there from their houses. A crucial component of successful aging is maintaining one's independence, according to the National Institutes of Health. So the seniors, besides trying to recuperate from injuries or illness and/or maintain the bare necessities on their own, are also grieving their temporary or permanent loss of independence. Making it even more stressful, many seniors, even when they are incapacitated, refuse to admit they need help. Trying to help someone in that mindset can soon become overwhelming to the family member or friend. Emotions are already raw, as the advocates begin to sadly realize that life for their loved one has unequivocally and frequently irreversibly changed. Adding to the dilemma is that most of us are not experts in aging. That means we don't know where to find the best services and providers for our elder relatives and families. Periodically hearing stories about elder abuse and elder scams, we want to make sure the help we find is 100-percent reputable and qualified. So we're pleased that Agency on Aging/Area 4, Seniors First and Placer County together created the new Senior411.org website that lists a multitude of senior resources and services. Included are nutritional services, meal sites, caregiver services such as respite support and legal/financial counseling, home modifications and repairs, and information on frauds and scams. Seniors throughout Placer County need help, even those who live in the fanicer 55-and- older adult retirement communities. It doesn't matter what a senior's income level is or how nice their neighborhood is, if they are homebound and/or have trouble taking care of their basic needs. Thousands of seniors in this county are struggling daily to live, according to Jamee Horning, an Agency on Aging/Area 4 governing board member and the former Seniors First executive director. She said this week that it's a crisis situation for families often trying to make ends meet and finding resources. For example, according to a Placer Food Bank statistic, 30 percent of seniors in Placer County suffer from food insecurity, which means they don't know where their next meal is coming from or they don't have anything in their refrigerator. As Horning points out, though, resources are already available but residents aren't aware of what's offered and where to find the resources. At this time of their lives, most seniors live on fixed incomes and/or social security. They don't have a salary anymore and their disposal income has significantly shrunk while their medical, housing, food and other expenses have increased. Instead of enjoying this time of their lives and relaxing with their family and friends, they worry about paying their bills and their daily survival. Now, Senior411.org makes it easier to learn about area programs and services that help our older family and friends maintain their independence. Knowing where to go is a lifesaving step to finding solutions for our seniors who need outside help.