Senior Promise Program
Physical fitness & nutrition, Recreation, Outreach, Mentoring,
Instruction, Support, Education
What is BCDC’s Senior Promise
With advances in medical care and technology, people with disabilities are living longer and along with growing older comes changing life needs. BCDC is serving a number of seniors, whose needs are changing due to age. These are people who are 50 to 55 years of age and over and, like everyone else that age, are beginning to think about retirement, recreation and leisure. Like all of us, they have worked thirty or more years and deserve to slow their lives down. Like many seniors, they might want to continue to work a few hours a week for the spending money, but their primary interests are to relax a little bit more and to enjoy their lives and personal interests. Currently, the only day program options available to these individuals are work related. BCDC has no desire, or intent, to create or duplicate specialized or segregated senior services for a disabled population. Rather, we believe using a person-centered model of program planning and case management services, these individuals can be placed within existing inclusive senior services programs in Beaufort County.
How does Senior Promise Work?
A coordinator will identify recreational and volunteer opportunities that are available in the community. The coordinator will then identify seniors who may be interested in those activities by utilizing person-centered planning principles and values. The coordinator will be responsible for reviewing each consumer’s health needs as well as which leisure and recreational activities the consumer would like to sample and pursue.
Rather than create “specialized” or segregated senior services for persons with disabilities, we propose to develop cooperative agreements to coordinate service delivery to our seniors in an inclusive fashion. This will be done through BCDC Life Coaches, whose charge will be identify appropriate providers or outlets for those services and activities. Life Coaches will negotiate on the consumer’s behalf for admission to that program or service, if it is not one that already has agreed to participate. Cooperative agreements will emphasize a well-coordinated transition plan relying upon the consumer’s natural support systems and/or volunteers.
What You Can Do to Help...
In order to adequately service our seniors, we are enlisting the services of community volunteers. The volunteer would be available to assist the consumer with his or her participation in programs, services, or activities. Please note that a BCDC staff person would be with the group at each activity.
In addition, we are soliciting financial support from the community to assist with admission charges and other various fees. Some activities require fees, for example, entrance fees to various parks, state fair, bowling, wellness centers and/or gyms.
Another important piece of this program, is a “giving back to the community” aspect from our consumers. Seniors are available to volunteer to assist with various activities in our communities. Our seniors recently completed a project where they packed bags of candy for the troops overseas. They have also volunteered their time by serving meals at Zion’s Shelter and Meals on Wheels.
Examples of Volunteer and/or Financial Support
- Going out to eat
- Taking a picnic lunch and eating on Stewart Parkway or Havens Gardens
- Exercise at Fitness Unlimited, Wellness Center or Aquatics Center
- Touring the Estuarium
- Taking a boat ride
- Accompanying a group of seniors on a day trip
- Participating in classes on diet, nutrition, and healthy living
- Participating in craft classes
This is not an exclusive list. Activities are centered around each individual’s health needs, as well as which leisure and recreational activities they want to pursue.
BCDC believes that our consumers have the right — the same right as their non-handicapped peers to pursue age appropriate leisure and recreational activities of their choosing. If you share our belief and would like to help please contact us for more information.
Pamela Daw
Phone: 252-946-0151
Fax: 252-946-9783
E-mail: pdaw@bcdcsolutions.org
|
