Saturday, December 6, 2008

Are These Services for Older Adults Available in Your Community?

The following list was compiled by the Greater Detroit Area Health Council (GDAHC) for its policy paper entitled: "DESIRED CHARACTERISTICS OF A SYSTEM OF SERVICES FOR OLDER ADULTS."

These are services that a blue ribbon task force of experts on aging felt should be available in every community. Not every person will need every service, but every service will be needed by someone.

This blog post will list the Support Services that were identified.

SUPPORT SERVICES
housekeeping
laundry
food shopping
meal preparation and delivery
other chore services
home maintenance such as repairs, weatherization, painting, etc.
transportation
diversional and motivational activities
housing assistance
health screening, education, and health promotion services
information and referral
outreach
interpreter services
advocacy
security and crime prevention
companionship (visitation, attendant)
telephone reassurance
telephone technical assistance
emergencey response systems (e.g., Lifeline)
case management
preventive care (e.g., physical exams, immunizations, etc.)
adult education
employment
social work services
training in caregiving

A future post will present the GDAHC list of recommended Personal Care Services.

Bob Tell
Author, "Dementia-Diary, A Caregiver's Journal"
http://www.dementia-diary.com