Homage helps to improve lives, one older adult at a time Page 2
A letter from the Homage staff
www.homage.org
VOL. 45, NO. 11 | DECEMBER 2018
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The epidemic of loneliness must be treated by doctors Page 2
Volunteer engagement at Homage Senior Services Page 4
RSVP volunteer opportunities Page 4
Homage holds its 15th Meals on Wheels Thanksgiving event Page 5
Give the gift of recording elders’ cherished memories Page 6
The benefits of doctorprescribed megadoses of vitamin D Page 8
Crossing the Atlantic in style aboard the Queen Mary 2 Page 9
Tips and tricks for managing your holidayseason stress Page 10 Learn about programs and services available to seniors by visiting www.homage.org.
Senior services group knows: there’s no place like home By Adam Worcester Special to The Herald LYNNWOOD — From the outside, Lori Anderson’s red-and-white rambler is unremarkable. Inside, though, the home is cozy and warm. There is a large, comfortable chair, a wood-burning stove, a couch and a wide table to spread out jigsaw puzzles. Anderson has lived here for 30 years — 23 of them with her husband, Norm Lenshaw. But the past seven years have been tough. Without Norm, who was “Mr. Fix-It,” Anderson said, she has had to call contractors to help with various problems. “It’s been really hard on my budget,” said Anderson. “Plumbing and electrical were my main issues. I came so close to moving.” Then a friend referred her to Homage Senior Services. Now, plumbers and electricians come routinely, when needed, free of charge. Their service is part of Minor Home Repair, one of 28 programs Homage offers senior and disabled citizens in Snohomish County. “It’s built into our mission statement to help people remain at home as long as possible,” said Rich Robinson, Homage director of wellness and mental health. “As an older adult on a fixed income, it’s tremendously challenging. It’s about helping people maintain their independence in their community.” Homage helped approximately 24,000 clients in 2017 with a variety of needs: nutrition, transportation, health insurance, home repair, mental health. Its Meals on Wheels program delivered more than 170,000 meals to homebound adults, and the agency served 78,000 hot meals at senior centers throughout the county. The nonprofit organization employs about 200 workers at its Lynnwood headquarters and coordinates the work of more than 400 annual volunteers. Funding comes primarily through the Older Americans Act, a federal initiative started in 1965, and philanthropic donations — many from grateful clients. Most Homage programs are free to recipients. Some have low-income qualifying requirements, and a few, such as Dial-A-Ride Transportation (DART) charge modest
Lori Anderson works on a jigsaw puzzle in her home. (Adam Worcester photo)
More information If you or someone you know could benefit from Homage Senior Services, call 425-513-1900 or toll free 800-422-2024. Email seniorinfo@homage.org or visit the website www.homage.org fees per trip. Sue Guest, who lost her husband Richard last April to a heart attack, credits Homage with saving her life. Two weeks after Richard died, Guest wound up in the emergency room with a kidney stone. Hospital social workers connected her with Homage. She uses Meals on Wheels as well as the Minor Home Repair program, which Robinson said is a typical pattern for most clients. “They come in the door for one service, then end up being served by multiple programs,” he explained. “It’s like everything here’s a big web.” One man, a 63-year-old military veteran, was living in his car when he was hospitalized with sepsis. Homage helped him find temporary housing, provided essential
personal care items, coordinated transportation for medical care, and accompanied him to the Social Security Administration to get his benefits restored. “Whenever I call you, things get done,” the man said with a chuckle. (For privacy reasons, the client asked that his name not be used.) Last year, a week before Christmas, Anderson discovered that a broken pipe was spewing water under her property. Homage workers replaced the water line by Dec. 21. More often, though, it is smaller flourishes that matter most, such as delivering a surprise quilt or a hot Thanksgiving meal. For Shirl Laneuville-Roach, it was the installation of handrails on her stairs and in the bathtub of her Edmonds home. “Without all that they have done, I don’t think I would have been able to make it,” said Laneuville-Roach, who is recovering from double-knee surgery. “They kept me in my house.” “They’re very caring people. They go way beyond anything I’ve ever experienced,” Guest said. “In this time of political strife, to see such goodness out there is just remarkable.”
NONPROFIT ORG US POSTAGE PAID SOUND PUBLISHING 98204
Quality Senior Living Community
• Studio and one bedroom apartments Homage Senior Services 5026 196th St. SW Lynnwood, WA 98036
• Close to shopping • Affordable rent includes utilities • On Metro bus route • Restaurant on-site – open to the public • Must be 62 or older; income limits apply
Call today for information and application
206-364-2440 747 N 135th St. • Seattle, WA