Seniors
SCS Aging at Home program has brought him personal satisfaction.
“I’ve developed a great camaraderie with those who run the Aging At Home program and it has been very personally rewarding to me to help seniors stay in their own homes. I really like being a part of this effort,” Kellerher said.
Through the program, Kelleher said that he has done kitchen work, plumbing, window replacement and roof repairs for older adults.
Christine Helmandollar, director of the Aging at Home program, said the program is only as successful as the volunteers, businesses and municipalities make it.
“Without the time and talent of so many in this room tonight,” Helmandollar stated, “our program would never have been as successful as it is. We depend on our community partners and volunteers to make this work.”
Helmandollar compared her Aging at Home team with a sports team, saying it is not just about the motivation and energy but about the time and talent put forth by those on the team. In addition to praising the local businesses that participate in the Aging At Home Program, Helmandollar also praised the generous volunteers.
Renee Ransom, of Lansdowne, is one of the committed volunteers. She has been driving Aging At Home clients to their doctor appointments for two years.
“I’ve been doing this since I’ve retired, and it has given me great satisfaction,” Ransom said at the gathering. “I drive four ladies to their appointments and every one of them is such a sweetheart. I look at it this way: I am not always able to give money to such a good cause like this, but I can surely give my time.”
Schoolhouse was full of county and local officials who came out to mingle and to congratulate Senior Community Services staff on the Aging at Home program’s fifth anniversary. Local officials who attended included District Attorney Jack Whelan; Delaware County Councilman Dave White; retired Magisterial District Judge and businessman John Perfetti; Delaware County Sheriff Mary McFall Hopper; Ridley Township Commissioners Pat McMenamin, Tom Donahue, Trish Hollabaugh, Nancy Robert and Betsy Cummins; Ridley Park Mayor Hank Eberle; and Glenolden Borough Council President Tom Danzi.
Schoolhouse Director Kim McDaniel said that the anniversary celebration was meant to thank the community for all it has done to make the Aging At Home program successful.
The event was also intended to be a “friendmaker” and encourage local businesses and potential volunteers to get involved.
Whelan, a longtime supporter and friend of SCS, said his grandfather used to play pool at Schoolhouse Center and his parents would go there to get their tax returns prepared.
“This (Aging at Home) program is critical so that we can keep our seniors stay in their own homes, which is so important to their selfworth and well-being,” Whelan said.
Whelan spoke about the Senior Exploitation Unit that he oversees as district attorney that works to educate seniors about crimes such as identity theft, fiduciary theft, credit card theft and financial or physical abuse.
“The unit helps seniors to stay safe and secure in their homes,” Whelan stated. “Just like with the Aging At Home program, we want to see seniors stay in their homes as long as they can and their safety and security are paramount to us.”
Delaware County Councilman Dave White said there are 8,000 seniors in Ridley Township alone. A longtime supporter of Senior Community Services, White praised the Aging at Home program and the longtime solid partnership that SCS has with the Delaware County Office of Services for the Aging (COSA).
“In the county, one of our biggest goals is to see our citizens age with dignity,” he said. “We have 80,000 seniors in Delaware County. The Aging At Home program has been successful because it pairs the elderly with community partners and volunteers who will help them with small tasks like trimming their yards or accompanying them to an appointment. It’s those little things that make the difference.”
White reiterated the importance of expanding the program into other areas of Delaware County.
Onnie Lafferty, of Ridley Park, was one of the seniors at the event who periodically uses the Aging At Home program. She said that, so far, she has only used Aging At Home for its driving services but hopes to use other components of the program in the future as the need arises. She praised her volunteer drivers, Sandy Clancy and Joanna Campbell.
“I gave up my car last year,” Lafferty told those in attendance. “Having these wonderful drivers take me to some of my doctor appointments has really been a Godsend. They are very caring and kind and I feel safe with them.”
Wendy Petkus-Mazeika, a member of the Aging At Home board, provided statistics gathered from a recent Aging At Home survey of participants: 53 percent had less feelings of worry and less stress since joining the program, 67 percent were trying to take better care of their health now that they had the support needed to get to doctor’s appointments and such, 70 percent were confident that they’d be able to remain in their home longer, 65 percent felt that they had more options and support with home maintenance and 85 percent would recommend the Aging at Home program to others.
Petkus-Mazeika also said that 25 percent of survey participants reported recent falls before they joined the Aging At Home program and no falls after being in the program.
“Many of our participants have gotten safety bars and other helpful aides installed in their home through our program so they safer now,” Petkus-Mazeika
Membership in the Aging at Home program is $35 per year. After joining, members will receive a membership card, along with a coupon book that describes the benefits.
“Aging at Home is simple to join and easy to use its services,” Helmandollar stated. “We have the best volunteers and excellent community partners. We are always looking for more participants and more friends and supporters to come on board as we continue to expand Aging at Home. I am so proud of our growth over the past five years and how many seniors that we’ve helped. I’m excited going forward, to grow and improve the program even more because I know there are a lot more seniors out there who can use this kind of help.”
For more information on the SCS Aging at Home program, to join or to see a list of the community partners, visit www.scsdelco.org and click on the “Aging at Home” tab, email info@ scs-delco.org or call SCS at 610237-8100 or Christine Helmandollar, program director, at 484534-2201. are explained.