Credible Community Resources for our Senior Citizens and
their Caregivers
One of the challenges that all North Carolina families
face is how to deal effectively and compassionately with the loved ones in
their family who are getting too elderly to deal with all of their needs. Where does one turn for thoughtful,
knowledgeable, and credible advice?
One of the best resources in the Winston-Salem, North
Carolina area is our own Senior Services, which hosts a wide variety of
credible services for senior citizens and their families. Most of us are quite familiar with
Meals-On-Wheels, but their services extend far beyond that.
One of the most helpful resources that Senior Services
operates is its helpline. You can
receive direction about various community resources from transportation,
housing options, in-home services, and many more. You can get help on understanding Medicare
and Medicaid; what they cover and benefits for which you may be eligible. You can get direction on help with the
special challenges of being a caregiver.
If you or your loved ones have questions about these
issues or related ones, contact Senior Services at 724-2040, or email them at
their helpline at helpline@seniorservicesinc.org.
Financial Management.
Our senior citizens, and those senior citizens whom we may support, have
significant financial challenges that can stretch or break the most robust of
monthly cash flows. Financial Pathways
of the Piedmont, a United Way agency formerly known as Consumer Credit
Counseling, has an excellent program for seniors (60 years old or older). They can assist seniors on budgeting, debt
service, and provide financial education about a host of matters, including
reverse mortgages, a subject of three columns in this space a number of months
ago. (Senior Financial Care: 336-896-1328; www.financialpaths.org). If you are a caregiver and you have your own
financial challenges, this agency can help you, too. (Financial Pathways of the
Piedmont: 336-896-1191; www.financialpaths.org).
If your financial challenges are greater than one with
which one of these programs can assist you and your income is limited, you
should consider contacting Legal Aid of North Carolina for bankruptcy or
foreclosure assistance. (336-725-9162; www.legalaidnc.org).
Hispanic Services.
There are a host of services for Hispanics in our community, including
Catholic Social Services/Casa Guadalupe (336-727-4745;www.cssnc.org); Forsyth County Public Library/Hispanic
Services (336-703-2907; www.Forsyth.cc/Library/hispanic,
or www.Forsyth.cc/Library); Communication
Access Partners/Interpreters (336-993-4200; www.communicationaccesspartners.com);
and Bethany Baptist Church Medical Clinic/Free Clinic ( 336-767-0760; www.bethanybaptistws.com).
Insurance Services.
A number of providers offer free counseling and education concerning
health insurance options. They include
the Forsyth County Department of Social Services--Medicaid (336-703-3502; www.co.forsyth.nc.us/dss); The
Shepherd's Center of Greater Winston-Salem/SHIIP Counselors (336-748-0217; www.shepherdscenter.org); Senior
Financial Care/SHIIP Counselors (336-896-1328; www.financialpaths.org); Senior
Services, Inc./Help Line/ SHIIP Counselors ( 336-724-2040; www.seniorservicesinc.org); and N C
Department of Insurance Consumer Hotline (1-800-546-5664; www.ncdoi.com).
Legal Services. The North Carolina Bar Association offers
the North Carolina Lawyer Referral Service, in which you can speak to an
attorney knowledgeable about senior issues for 30 minutes for no more than
$50. Many times the lawyers who
participate in this service will speak with you on the phone and not request
payment (1-800-662-7660; www.ncbar.org). Senior Services operates a Hot Line
(336-724-2040). For a list of Forsyth County elder law attorneys, go to
www.seniorservices.org.
Finally, Senior Services, Inc. has published a Directory
of Services that provides contact information on a host of important services
from adult day care to victim assistance services, and more. Call Senior Services for more information
about this useful directory (336-724-2040; www.seniorservicesinc.org).
The best advice: deal with these matters well before they
happen. Find out what you can while your
seniors have their general health and mental faculties. If you get a plan in
place, you can avoid so many problems.
