Santa for Seniors Collects Gifts at Holiday Luncheon

Not everyone celebrates Christmas, but in a small way, all believe in the spirit of Santa. On Tuesday, December 13, Santa for Seniors will hold its annual Holiday Luncheon at 103 West. The luncheon is hosted by Jill Sherman, Dottie Smith, and Jade Sykes. Attendees will bring unwrapped, new gifts that will be used by Meals On Wheels Atlanta on Christmas Eve for its clients.

Santa for Seniors exemplifies the spirit of Santa by providing volunteers the opportunity to purchase inexpensive “senior friendly” items such as magnifying glasses, neck pillows, throws, and many other gifts that can be given to lonely and homebound seniors on special occasions and especially during the holidays.

“Senior citizens are probably our loneliest and least considered group,” Jill Sherman explained. “A little bitty gift makes them smile like the days when they were young and Santa Clause came to see them.”

Gailen Rosenberg, Gift Wrap Chair, has scheduled Dec. 21 for a day of wrapping. Each gift will be wrapped and individualized for each client recipient.

Senior Citizen Services of Metropolitan Atlanta, through its Santa for Seniors program is collecting new, unwrapped “senior friendly” items such as big print books, bath or personal hygiene products, small blankets, slip-resistant slippers, personal fans, flashlights, or stationery. Items can be dropped off at SCS, 1705 Commerce Drive NW between 9:00 am – 5:00 pm. If you would like more information, please contact Steve Hargrove at shargrove@scsatl.org or 404-605-8450.

Paper Clip Becomes Charity Auction Item

How did a paper clip become a valuable, $1660 antique French footstool? And how did that footstool turn into a life-saving charitable gift? Through kindness, of course!

Here’s how it all started… The Networks of 11 Alive employ an outside sales training organization to help the sales people become confident and brave. The trainer gave each team of sales people a simple challenge as he handed them a small paper clip. The challenge? Go outside the station and meet with people you don’t know. Try to trade the paper clip for something of greater value, then take that item, go somewhere else, and trade it for something greater, and so on.

Two and a half hours later, one team came back with an amazing story.

The team consisted of Steve Pumillo, Amber Guyton, and Cindy Setlock. They started out in the drizzling rain at 10 am and headed just down the street from the station. From there, it was a whirlwind of meeting one truly good person after another. Although none of these shop owner knew why they were doing it, they knew the reputation of 11 Alive, where we make “kindness cool” and they were willing to play the game.

Here’s how it happened:

1. The paper clip was exchanged at The Gables Midtown Apartment complex for a pencil.

2. The pencil was exchanged at the American Red Cross for a personal safety/first aid kit.

3. The Personal Safety/First Aid Kit was traded at Atlanta Water Gardens for a Christine Sibley ceramic sculpture entitled “Fire” with a retail value of $99.

4. The ceramic sculpture was traded at Lisa Thompson & Associates for a Waterford Crystal Lamp valued at $395.

5. The Waterford Crystal Lamp was traded at the Lamp Shoppe for an intricately carved Piano Leg Lamp valued at $495.

6. The carved Piano Leg Lamp was traded Edgar Reeves (correction) for an antique French pastel portrait valued at $1200.

7. The antique French Pastel portrait was traded at Roebuck & Company for the $1660 antique footstool.

The outside sales trainer from Indianapolis was shocked by the kindness of these Atlanta shop owners! Of course, here at 11 Alive, we immediately started thinking about how we could continue the chain of kindness. We want to do something really cool with the footstool.

The beautiful footstool will be auctioned off for charity to benefit Senior Citizens Services of Metropolitan Atlanta for their Meals On Wheels Atlanta program at their A Meal to Remember Event for 2011 to be held on Friday, November 4th, 2011 at The St. Regis Atlanta. For more information on the event or specifically the auction, contact Steve Hargrove, shargrove@scsatl.org.

Here are the details on the Bench/Footstool:

The Bench is a French Faux Bamboo Walnut Bench in the Empire Style with a saddle shaped seat with a turned stretcher and having elaborately turned finials – with upwardly turned bamboo feet. France. 1st Half 20th Century. Height: 14 Inches; Width: 19 ½ Inches; Depth 14 Inches. Retail Value: $1,660

Chef Tingaud Guest Chef for A Meal to Remember

PASCAL TINGAUD, Chef de Cuisine, Moët & Chandon, Eparnay, France

Pascal Tingaud always knew that he wanted to be a chef. After all, his father and grandfather were chefs. Home for him was the family restaurant, L'Auberge de Conde, a two-Michelin star restaurant in La Ferte-sous-Jouarre, France. Much of his youth was spent in its kitchen developing a love for the culinary arts. At age 16, he entered the Ecole Hoteliere Jean Drouant in Paris to begin his formal training. Since then, this amiable Frenchman has travelled the world to cook at some of the most prestigious restaurants in the industry, such as Les Freres Troisgros in Roanne, a three-Michelin star restaurant. He was also chef to former French President Giscard d'Estaing. He is now the appointed chef at Chateau de Saran, home of famed champagne label Moet & Chandon, where he works to create new food pairings with the tipple. The historic Moet family residence now hosts private guests such as visiting royalties and dignitaries.

A Meal to Remember benefits Meals On Wheels Atlanta. The black-tie gala will be held Friday, November 4, at the St. Regis Atlanta.

24th Annual A Meal to Remember Benefits Meals On Wheels Atlanta

This year marks the 24th anniversary of “A Meal to Remember” when it returns to Atlanta this fall to raise money for Meals On Wheels Atlanta, a program of Senior Citizen Services, that has been delivering daily meals to homebound seniors in the metro area since 1970. Joanne and Charles Ackerman will be honored this year for their commitment to Senior Citizen Services and Meals On Wheels Atlanta.

This year’s elegant black-tie reception is being chaired by Marjorie Harvey, Harrison Rohr, and Jack Sawyer. This year’s theme will be “Un Repas Mémorable” exploring the tastes France. The event will be held at the St. Regis Atlanta on Friday, November r. All the guest chefs hold the Master Chef of France distinction and are Chef Jean-Louis Dumonet, Chef Marc Ehrler, Chef Pascal Tingaud, Chef Nico Romo, and Chef Andre Renard. The dinner will be coordinated by Master Chef of France, Jonathan Jerusalmy, Executive Chef at the St. Regis Atlanta.

A live and silent auction featuring food and wine, trips, fine art, and more will be held in conjunction with the dinner. The event organizers hope to raise more than $400,000 which will provide more than 61,500 nutritious meals for homebound seniors.

Proceeds generated by “A Meal to Remember” benefit Meals On Wheels Atlanta, a program of Senior Citizen Services. To allocate every dollar possible to direct meal provision, organizers of the event require every expense associated with the dinner, reception and pre-event festivities be donated or underwritten by sponsorships or auction proceeds. Since the first “A Meal to Remember” in 1988, more than $4 million has been raised to support Meals On Wheels Atlanta.

Sponsorship packages range from $35,000 to $2,500. Patron tickets are $1,500 per. Tickets may be obtained by phoning 404-605-8450 or visiting www.scsatl.org.

VOTE REGULARLY TO SUPPORT SENIOR CITIZEN SERVICES!

VOTE REGULARLY TO SUPPORT SENIOR CITIZEN SERVICES!

From September 1st - September 30th, Senior Citizen Services will be one of four nonprofits competing for $25,000 from The Home Depot Foundation. Public support through Facebook will determine who wins the funding.

Please cast your vote for Senior Citizen Services regularly at @homedepotfoundation (http://www.facebook.com/homedepotfoundation.

Funds raised for Senior Citizen Services will support future home repair projects for Atlanta seniors. Every vote is important so please help us get the word out!

Report: Atlanta region ranked as the worst metro area for seniors’ access to transit

September 14, 2011

By Maria Saporta for www.saportareport.com

The Transportation for America, a coalition that promotes smarter transportation investment, has ranked Atlanta as the worst metro area in providing seniors access to mass transit.

Such a ranking is especially devastating for metro Atlanta — a region that is projecting a dramatic increase in senior citizens.

The report — “Aging in Place, Stuck without Options” — determined that the majority of the nation’s metro areas with a population of more than 1 million people provided seniors with poor access to transit.

The number of senior citizens with poor access to transit will continue to grow as the baby boom generation continues to get older.

“While some aging baby boomers and empty nesters have been moving from suburbs to downtowns, the vast majority of older Americans continue to reside in car-dependent suburban and rural communities,” the report stated.

“Inevitably, their ability to navigate these communities by vehicle will diminish or disappear over time, and millions of older adults will need transportation alternatives in order to maintain their independence,” the report continued.
The Urban Land Institute, in its Urban Land publication, reported on the

Transportation for America’s ranking and determined that was a wide variation of metro areas providing seniors with access to transit.

The study defined seniors as people aged 65 to 79. And poor access was defined people having fewer than two bus, rail or ferry routes within walking distance of their home.

“Not surprisingly, the metros offering the best transit access for seniors are typically larger, coastal metropolises with larger transit systems, such as New York, San Francisco, and Washington, D.C.,” the report stated.

“The worst metropolitan areas for seniors’ transit mobility tend to be more inland, with stagnant or shrinking bus systems,” the report continued. “Interestingly, the 11 worst metros include several places with rail systems, such as Atlanta, Charlotte, and Nashville, suggesting their systems may be too small.”

The finding of this report comes at a particularly significant time for metro Atlanta. Currently, the Atlanta Regional Transportation Roundtable is considering a draft list of transportation projects that would be implemented if voters approve a one-cent regional sales tax next year.

The draft project list would invest 55 percent of the revenue in transit projects and 45 percent in road projects.

The Urban Land Institute said that the metro areas that rank the worst for seniors’ access to transit offers an opportunity for its members and real estate professionals. It stated that those metro areas could be “ripe” for senior housing projects that are part of a transit-oriented development with bus or rail stops.

The 11 worst metro areas for seniors’ having access to transit are:

1. Atlanta. In 2015, it is projected that the region will have 503,543 people between the ages of 65 to 79. Ninety percent of that population would have “poor transit access” in 2015.

2. Kansas City. Senior population in 2015: 230,023 with 88 percent with poor transit access.

3. Oklahoma City. senior population: 136,571; poor transit access: 86 percent.

4. Nashville. senior population: 151,995; poor transit access: 85 percent.

5. Raleigh-Durham. senior population: 127,931; poor transit access: 80 percent.

6. Indianapolis. 181,073; 79 percent.

7. Charlotte. 170,815; 79 percent (a tie).

8. Jacksonville. 127,958; 77 percent.

9. Virginia Beach-Norfolk. 147,285; 69 percent.

10. Rochester. 116,565; 69 percent (a tie).

11. Riverside-San Bernardino. 278,305; 69 percent (a tie)

Meals On Wheels Assoc. of America Unveils "We Are Meals On Wheels"

At MOWAA’s 2011 Annual Conference in Chicago, the national organization unveiled “We Are Meals On Wheels.” The goal of We are Meals On Wheels is to elevate senior hunger as a solvable issue in America and to invite individuals from across all walks of life to take part in our movement and end senior hunger by 2020.

Did you know?

More than 6 million seniors in America today are facing the threat of hunger, because they are not getting the nutritious meals they need. We know senior hunger is a serious problem. We know that it must be stopped. And we know that there is something that we can do about it.

We are working every day to put an end to senior hunger by delivering nutritious meals and providing compassion to seniors in communities across this land.

Volunteerism Remains Steady -- Except in Georgia

The number of Americans who volunteer dropped slightly in 2010, according to a federal report released on August 9.

Nearly 63 million Americans, slightly more than a quarter of the population, volunteered for charities last year, providing services valued at nearly $173-billion. That’s down from 2009, when 63.4 million adults, or nearly 27 percent of the population, donated their time.

The volunteer rate has not changed significantly since 2006, hovering around 26 percent. Volunteerism reached nearly 29 percent from 2003 to 2005 and has been as low as 20.4 percent in 1989, says a report by the Corporation for National and Community Service, which is based on annual and monthly surveys of roughly 100,000 Americans age 16 or older, conducted by the U.S. Census Bureau for the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Georgia was well below the national average at 22.3% for 2010 – down from 24.4% in 2009. Come on Georgia! Get out there and volunteer!

11th Annual Meals On Wheels Atlanta Golf Tournament
Monday, September 12th, 2011
Capital City Club at Brookhaven
http://www.scsatl.org/

12:00 PM Lunch and Registration, Practice Range Opens, Mulligans Available
1:00 PM Shotgun Start, Four Person Shamble
After Play Cocktail Reception, Awards Presentation, (light hors d’oeuvres

$10,000 Corporate Sponsorship

$4000 per foursome
$1200 individual players

Last year’s tournament raised nearly $88,000 that directly translated into 13,500 meals for homebound and frail seniors in Atlanta. Your support via a foursome or through your company as a corporate sponsor was invaluable in our efforts to raise funds for vital nutrition and services.

Capital City Club at Brookhaven (new location). The Brookhaven Country Club site was leased in 1913 and purchased in 1915. At that time, the golf course was increased from nine to eighteen holes. The present Brookhaven clubhouse was erected in 1928. In 2009, the course was redesigned by architect Bob Cupp.

For more information, please contact Steve Hargrove at shargrove@scsatl.org or 404-605-8450.

Check on Seniors During the Heat Wave

With the heat approaching 100 degrees in Atlanta today, it’s time to review helpful hints for older adults during a heat wave.

More than 400 people die during heat waves each year in the U.S. Older people do not handle the heat as well as younger people because they do not sweat effectively and they may have poor circulation. Obesity, heart disease, dementia, diabetes and other chronic medical conditions can compound the risk. So can certain medications, especially diuretics or those prescribed for hypertension and Parkinson's disease.

• Caregivers should stay on the alert for signs of confusion or altered mental states in seniors who are out in hot weather, as it could be a sign of heat stroke


• Get seniors into an air-conditioned building; have them dress lightly; and keep themselves hydrated. This may be easier said than done, as many seniors complain of being cold in an air conditioned room.


• If elderly relative complain to being too cold, turn up the air conditioner. If they refuse to stay inside, have them sit in a shady area under near a fan.


• Close curtains or blinds on the sunny side of the house.


• If the elderly person refuses to use their air conditioner, make sure that they spend at least some time in a cool air conditioned environment each day. If seniors need a cool place to go, they may visit any Fulton County Neighborhood Senior Center during the week days.


• Offer drinks that the seniors prefer, but stay away from caffienated drinks or sodas loaded with sodium. Do not serve alcohol which is dehydrating.


• Keep frozen treats available that high water and low sugar content or serve fruit like watermelon.


• Make sure that seniors wear lightweight clothing, light in color, and not form-fitting. Hats are useful but make sure that they are loosely woven or ventilated so that they don’t trap hear. Wear broad-brimmed hats to shade the entire face.

Charitable Giving in the USA

The Giving USA Foundation recently released their annual giving report. The good news from Giving USA Foundation is that giving is on the upswing growing 3.8% from 2009 to 2010. The bad news is that it hasn’t increased enough to offset the dip in giving in 2008 & 2009. In other words, the nearly $291 billion donated last year, was still more than 6% below the 2007 record.

How’d the nonprofit sector do in 2010?

• Total giving to charitable organizations was $290.89 billion in 2010 (about 2% of GDP).
  Giving increased by 3.8% from 2009 when giving was $280.3 billion.


• Revised Giving USA data shows that total giving has grown in current dollars in every year since 1954 except for 1987, 2008 and 2009.
  

Who gives?

• Most of the money flowing into the sector continues to come from individuals. Specifically, individuals gave $211.77 billion or 73% of total giving. Giving by individuals grew by 2.7%.


• 14% of donations came from foundations for a total of $41 billion (down 0.2%).


• Bequests accounted for 8% of donations or a total of $22.83 billion (up 18.8%).


• Giving by corporations ($15.29%) amounted to just 5% of all giving in 2010. But that represented an increase of 10.6% over 2009 due to increased cash and in-kind support by pharmaceutical companies.
  

Where does all that money go?

• 35% of all donations, or $100.63 billion, went to religious organizations (up only 0.8%). In the 56 years this report has been published, religious groups have always received the greatest portion of total giving.


• At 14% of giving in 2010, the next largest sector was education. In total, education charities received $41.67 billion (up 5.2%).


• 9% of donations went to human services charities. That amounted to a total of $26.49 billion in 2010 with no substantial change from 2009.


• 8% went to health charities for a total of $22.83 billion (1.3% increase over 2009).


• 8% went to public benefit charities for a total of $24.24 billion (6.2% increase over 2009).


• 5% went to arts, culture, humanities charities which received a total of $13.28 billion (up 5.7%).


• 5% went to international charities for a total of $15.77. International charities saw the biggest growth in giving (15.3%), in part, because of the earthquake in Haiti (January 2010).


• 2% of donations went to environmental and animal charities (no substantial change from 2009).

Santa for Seniors Collects Gifts for Senior Clients

Not everyone celebrates Christmas, but in a small way, all believe in the spirit of Santa. On Tuesday, July 19, Santa for Seniors will hold its annual “Christmas in July” cocktail party at Kings Home Furnishings. Party organizers are Jill Berry, Dottie Smith (Executive Director), Jade Sykes, and Maxine Hyland.

Santa for Seniors exemplifies the spirit of Santa by providing volunteers the opportunity to purchase inexpensive “senior friendly” items such as magnifying glasses, neck pillows, throws, and many other gifts that can be given to lonely and homebound seniors on special occasions and especially during the holidays.

“Senior citizens are probably our loneliest and least considered group,” Chairperson Jill Berry explained. “A little bitty gift makes them smile like the days when they were young and Santa Clause came to see them.”

Senior Citizen Services of Metropolitan Atlanta, through its Santa for Seniors program collects new, unwrapped “senior friendly” items such as big print books, bath or personal hygiene products, small blankets, slip-resistant slippers, personal fans, flashlights, or stationery. Items can be dropped off at SCS, 1705 Commerce Drive NW between 9:00 am – 5:00 pm. For ticket information about the Christmas in July party, please contact Steve Hargrove at shargrove@scsatl.org or 404-605-8450.

Can Seniors Have Depression, But Not Sadness?

Depression without sadness sounds like a mental-health oxymoron, but it’s a very real condition that’s especially common in older adults. But because other symptoms of depression are present — trouble concentrating, fatigue, rumination — it too often gets dismissed as "just getting old."

Overlooking the signs of depression in seniors can be a dangerous mistake. The highest rates of suicide occur in men over the age of 85, and studies show that many of these men had visited their doctors in the month before their suicide — but their depression was not recognized.
"Older people don't always say 'I'm depressed.' They tend to focus on physical symptoms instead of on sadness," says Vineeth John, MD, associate professor of psychiatry at the University of Texas Health Science Center in Houston. “The diagnosis is frequently missed.”
10 Signs of Depression Sans Sadness

Depression is not a normal part of aging, even though the symptoms are often mistaken as so.
"Although elderly people with depression may have classic depression symptoms such as hopelessness, they may also express their sadness as headache or nonspecific aches and pains,” explains Dr. John. “This may result in them being given pain medications instead of being treated for their depression."

Signs of depression without sadness include:
· Personality changes
· Isolation and loss of motivation
· Fatigue
· Loss of appetite and loss of weight
· Agitation and combativeness
· Changes in sleep patterns
· Poor concentration
· Forgetfulness
· Rumination
· Deterioration in home and self-care

Who’s at Risk for Depression in Old Age?

"Changes in the brain and illnesses that occur in aging may make it harder for the elderly to cope with stress and adapt to change, but depression is not a normal part of aging," says John. Still, certain risk factors increase the risk of depression in the elderly — and knowing these risk factors may help doctors and loved ones spot depression (and start treatment).

Risk factors include:
· Loss of a spouse
· Loss of mobility and independence
· Change in living arrangements
· Chronic illness
· Recent heart attack or stroke
· Use of alcohol or drugs

How Depression Is Diagnosed and Treated

"Sometimes the best person to recognize signs of depression in the elderly is a friend or family member who knows the elderly person’s level of functioning very well and notices a significant change," explains John.

Mental health professionals may use a diagnostic tool called the Geriatric Depression Scale to help diagnose depression in the elderly. Some of the questions asked on the scale include:
· Have you dropped many of your interests and activities?
· Would you rather stay at home than go out and do new things?
· Do you fear that something bad is going to happen to you?
· Do you feel you have more difficulty with memory than most people?
· Do you feel that you are full of energy?

Doctors must also factor in the effects of all medications being taken and search for medical conditions such as Parkinson's disease, thyroid disorders, or Alzheimer's disease that increase the risk of depression.

"The good news is that depression in the elderly is very treatable, just as it is in younger adults," notes John. “And treating depression may also improve the symptoms of other co-existing conditions.”

Depression and aging don’t always go hand in hand, but it is a common problem that often gets missed. Knowing the risk factors and signs of depression (even when sadness isn’t one of them), however, can help prevent a misdiagnosis.

-- from EveryDayHealth.com,
http://www.everydayhealth.com/depression/can-you-have-depression-without-sadness.aspx?xid=aol_eh-emo_14-_20110627&aolcat=AJA&ncid=webmail6

We Won A New Toyota Highlander!!

Toyota will donate a new Highlander to Senior Citizen Services of Metropolitan Atlanta (SCS) as part of its 100 Cars for Good program. The automaker’s program, which awards new Toyota vehicles to 100 nonprofit organizations based on Facebook votes, began on May 9 and continues through August 16, 2011 at www.facebook.com/toyota.

SCS was one of five organizations from across the country that competed for votes on Monday June 6 and plans to use the vehicle to deliver meals to homebound Atlanta seniors through its Meals On Wheels Atlanta program. According to Jeffrey Smythe, Executive Director of SCS, teamwork played an important role in winning the contest. “I am so excited and grateful! What an amazing team effort from so many great supporters. Their hard work made sure that more seniors will benefit from our services.”

Senior Citizen Services of Metropolitan Atlanta, Inc., a nonprofit, community-based organization, has been providing services since 1965 and is designed to support senior independence through meals, shelter, education, and community. Their programs include Meals on Wheels Atlanta, Home Repair Services, Vivian T. Minor Adult Day Care for Alzheimer’s/Dementia, and Fulton County Neighborhood Senior Centers. For more information on programs, please visit http://www.scsatl.org/.

Vote for Senior Citizen Services, Monday, June 6!

Senior Citizen Services is happy to announce we’ve been named a finalist in Toyota’s 100 Cars for Good program. The next step is for all of you to vote for us Monday, June 6, 2011, on Toyota’s Facebook page, facebook.com/toyota, as we compete for a new Toyota Highlander that will be used to deliver meals to homebound Atlanta seniors through our Meals On Wheels Atlanta program.

Check out our seniors video for the Toyota 100 Cars for Good program here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lBiddz8etBI

Vote for Senior Citizen Services, Monday, June 6!

Next Monday, June 6, 2011, Senior Citizen Services will be competing for a brand new Toyota Highlander that will be used by the Meals On Wheels Atlanta program to deliver more than 300 nutritious meals daily to homebound Atlanta seniors.

Toyota’s 100 Cars for Good program will showcase five non-profit organizations each day for 100 days on Toyota’s Facebook page, www.facebook.com/toyota. Visitors to the page can vote once a day for the organization that they feel is most deserving of a new Toyota vehicle. Senior Citizen Services will be one of the five organizations highlighted for voting on Monday, June 6, 2011.

Did you know?

• Georgia ranks sixth in the nation for senior food insecurity.




• More than 6,000,000 seniors go hungry in the United States each day.

Everyone is encouraged to support Senior Citizen Services and our quest for a new Toyota Highlander. If Senior Citizen Services receives the most votes and is awarded the vehicle, it will be used to deliver meals to homebound Atlanta seniors through its Meals On Wheels Atlanta program.

Dunbar Elementary School: We Love Our Seniors

Senior hunger is something we don't often think about. During my year assignment with the Georgia Institute on Aging and Senior Citizen Services of Metropolitan Atlanta as a Community Volunteer Coordinator I had the opportunity to challenge senior hunger head on!
A partnership with Communities In Schools of Atlanta and Dunbar Elementary school yielded amazing results. Dunbar Elementary students love their seniors, and when I asked them to host a food drive they were up to the challenge! The collection was held over a period of 1 month starting before the Christmas holiday break and ending shortly after the Martin Luther King Jr. Holiday.Within that time they collected nearly 1,000 items between several classrooms, grades K-5. 

Collection boxes featuring "we love our seniors" The items they collected were counted and sorted into the Mobile Community Pantry sponsored by the Fulton County Senior Collaborative (FCSC). FCSC is made up of representatives from Visiting Nurse Health System, Project Open Hand Atlanta and Senior Citizen Services of Metropolitan Atlanta. The three organizations work collaboratively to provide senior clients in the metro area with supplemental food assistance. Unlike a traditional pantry, the collaborative realizes the challenges that home bound or low-income seniors face and have worked diligently to recruit volunteers to deliver the food items directly to each clients door. Project Open Hand Atlanta has provided a dietitian to evaluate the food items and provide guidelines to ensure that each pantry bag is full of food items appropriate for each senior clients specific needs.

According to studies conducted by Meals On Wheels Association of America (Research Findings), Georgia ranks 6th highest in ranking of states by rate of limited or uncertain availability of food among seniors. Help FCSC collect food items for the Mobile Community Pantry. Take your non-pershible food items for donation to bins located at:

Senior Citizen Services
1705 Commerce Drive NW
Atlanta, GA 30318404-351-3889

Originally posted by Tamara Mack- Food Activist at 6:20 PM , January 18, 2011 at
http://right2eat.blogspot.com/2010/01/dunbar-elementary-school-food-drive-we.html

Monica Interviews Oprah in 1986

Check out SCS Board of Trustees member, Monica Pearson, interviewing Oprah in 1986.

http://www.ajc.com/video?bcpid=97471435001&bckey=AQ~~,AAAAAFAsZ1c~,8MkVRvW0DmauKT3uAriKKf2yHzTPz5MP&bclid=1717763711&bctid=956254773001

Congressman Lewis Signs Mother's Day Cards

A few days before Mother’s Day the Meals On Wheels Association of America reached out to various Congress members to sign cards for Mother’s Day. Atlanta’s representative John Lewis signed several cards and one of those was delivered to Mrs. Reed with her meals before Mother’s Day.

Mrs. Reed is 105-years-young and the oldest Meals On Wheels Atlanta client. Her mind is sharp and she lives with her daughter. Happy Mother’s Day, Mrs. ­­Reed, from Congressman John Lewis and the staff of Senior Citizen Services.

Senior Citizen Services Names Finalist in Toyota 100 Cars for Good Program

Toyota to Donate Vehicle to Local Nonprofit Organizations Based on Public Votes

Atlanta-based organization, Senior Citizen Services is one of 500 finalists in Toyota’s 100 Cars for Good program, which will award vehicles to 100 nonprofit organizations based on votes from the public beginning May 9, 2011.

Toyota’s 100 Cars for Good program will showcase five non-profit organizations each day for 100 days on Toyota’s Facebook page, facebook.com/toyota. Visitors to the page can vote once a day for the organization that they feel is most deserving of a new Toyota vehicle. Senior Citizen Services will be one of the five organizations highlighted for voting on Monday, June 6, 2011.

Local residents are encouraged to support Senior Citizen Services and their quest for a new Toyota Highlander. If Senior Citizen Services receives the most votes and is awarded the vehicle, it will be used to deliver meals to homebound Atlanta seniors through its Meals On Wheels Atlanta program.


About Senior Citizen Services:
Senior Citizen Services of Metropolitan Atlanta, Inc. (SCS), a nonprofit, community-based organization, has been providing services since 1965 and is designed to support senior independence through meals, shelter, education and community. Their programs include Meals On Wheels Atlanta, Home Repair Services, Vivian T. Minor Adult Day Care for Alzheimer’s/Dementia, and Fulton County Neighborhood Senior Centers. For more information on programs, please visit http://www.scsatl.org/.

About Toyota.
Toyota (NYSE: TM) established operations in the United States in 1957 and currently operates 10 manufacturing plants, including one under construction. Toyota directly employs nearly 30,000 in the U.S. and its investment here is currently valued at more than $18 billion, including sales and manufacturing operations, research and development, financial services and design.

Toyota is committed to being a good corporate citizen in the communities where it does business and believes in supporting programs with long-term sustainable results. Toyota supports numerous organizations across the country, focusing on education, the environment and safety. Since 1991, Toyota has contributed more than $500 million to philanthropic programs in the U.S.

For more information on Toyota's commitment to improving communities nationwide, visit http://www.toyota.com/community.

Senior Citizen Services Offers Gas Cards to Recruit Meals On Wheels Atlanta Drivers

With gas prices approaching $4 per gallon, Meals On Wheels Atlanta volunteers are not only giving up their time to deliver meals to seniors, but they are also taking a hit in their wallet when they fill up their car with gas.

That’s where Jerry Lowry, Chairman of D.A.T. Broadband, Inc. stepped in. D.A.T. Broadband donated 100 gas cards to be given to new Meals On Wheels Atlanta volunteers during the month of May, which is also nationally recognized as Older Americans Month. Each card will roughly cover the gas that it takes to deliver a Meals On Wheels Atlanta route. Eligible recipients will be any driver who has not delivered for Meals On Wheels Atlanta before.

“D.A.T. Broadband should be recognized for this creative and practical solution to rising gas prices,” stated Jeffrey Smythe, Executive Director of Senior Citizen Services. “With more seniors in need, this gives volunteers an extra boost to deliver meals.”

Meals On Wheels Atlanta, one of Senior Citizen Services of Metropolitan Atlanta’s programs designed to enable seniors to support senior independence through meals, shelter, education and community was created to meet the nutrition and human contact needs of homebound seniors in the metropolitan area in 1970. Last year, nearly 95,000 meals were delivered to hundreds of homebound seniors. Recipients receive a visit with their meals by a volunteer or staff person, assuring that they receive more than just nutrition. To serve each senior better, Meals On Wheels Atlanta has entered into formal collaborations with multiple service providers across the metro area, thereby minimizing duplication and maximizing the benefit of each charitable donation.

Interested volunteers may contact Senior Citizen Services at 404-351-6194 or volunteercoordinator@scsatl.org to schedule a delivery route. Turn-by-turn directions are provided and routes can be completed in less than two hours.

Meals On Wheels Atlanta is inviting additional $10 gas cards donations to promote volunteerism. Call 404-351-3889 if you would like to donate gas cards.

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About Senior Citizen Services: Senior Citizen Services of Metropolitan Atlanta, Inc. (SCS), a nonprofit, community-based organization, has been providing services since 1965 and is designed to support senior independence through meals, shelter, education and community. Their programs include Meals On Wheels Atlanta, Home Repair Services, Vivian T. Minor Adult Day Care for Alzheimer’s/Dementia, and Fulton County Neighborhood Senior Centers. For more information on programs, please visit www.scsatl.org.

SCS Kicks Off Older Americans Month with SWEEP! Day

Mrs. Young has lived in Atlanta her entire life, but recently has found it difficult to maintain her Vine City home. Because of family medical issues and her advancing age, she is not able to maintain her yard and do the exterior painting that she would like to do.

Mrs. Young is one of ten older home owners who will receive needed home repairs on Saturday, May 7th. Senior Citizen Services will hold its annual SWEEP! Day for their HOMES Program (Home Owner Maintenance and Enhancement for Seniors). The event will take place from 8:00 am to 2:00 pm based at the Fulton County New Horizons Neighborhood Senior Center. SWEEP! is a focused, high-impact event celebrating Older Americans Month. On the morning of May 7th, a volunteer team will “sweep” through each sponsored home and perform improvements inside and out. Improvements will include painting (inside and out), yard maintenance, gutter cleaning, and minor carpentry. SWEEP! will target ten homes in this event and will host an after-party for volunteers, homeowners, their guests, and donors.

“I like the outside of my home to look nice. But after retiring from Sears in 2006, I don’t have the money it takes,” stated Mrs. Young.

The HOMES Program provides minor home repairs, enhancements, and yard work to senior homeowners (age 60 an older) living in metro Atlanta. The HOMES program completes nearly 500 homes each year and is supported by The Fulton County Board of Commissioners/ Fulton County Human Services Grants program, The Home Depot Foundation, Thanks Mom and Dad Fund, and other individuals and foundations.

For more information or to register to volunteer, please visit http://www.scsatl.org/ or call 404-351-3889.

Is America Failing Our Nation's Seniors?

In 2008, the Meals On Wheels Association of America released the results of a groundbreaking research report entitled "The Causes, Consequences and Future of Senior Hunger in America" that our Foundation had commissioned. The findings of the co-principal investigators, Dr. James Ziliak of the University of Kentucky and Dr. Craig Gundersen then of the University of Iowa, were shocking and unacceptable. In 2001, the research showed, five million seniors in the United States, or one in nine, were facing the threat of hunger. The next year, we asked the same researcher examine several more years of date and update the report. By 2007, the number of seniors facing the threat of hunger was six million. Any reader who can do the math knows that is a 20 percent increase in just six years. But without context, the average reader might not be able to grasp the magnitude of the number. Let me give some context. There are 33 states in this country that each have total state populations of less than 6 million.

Is America failing our nation's seniors? And if we are moving in the clearly wrong direction where senior hunger is concerned today, what of the future?

The baby boomers (and I am one of them) are now entering the ranks of older persons, and it is safe to assume that we will be a demanding lot, constantly in search of more and different kinds of services. We will not likely want to live in assisted living or the even less desirous nursing home environment as generations before us have. Rather, we will want to live independently in community settings. Yet that raises a critical question: Can community-based organizations and the concomitant services needed keep up with the demand? Or will America, having failed to turn the tide on senior hunger with the current generation continue down the path of failure with the next-- and much larger-- generation of our nation's seniors?

It is easy to focus on the short term view of the past, the last couple of decades that have seen a faltering economy that went from great highs to unparalleled, sustained lows and a burgeoning population of older adults, and to lay the blame here. But we have seen depression in the place of deep recession in the more distant past. And we have seen population surges like that of the last century, not driven by birth rates, but by immigrants who came to these shores seeking a better life. Many of those numbers of older persons, like my own grandparents who came into his vast, wonderful land of ours, this great melting pot, seeking the American dream. Even with its own troubles, America did not fail them.

But it is different for millions of older Americans today. At least 6 million in 2007; and while we do not have more current research to account for the impact of the economy of the past several years on seniors, one researcher has suggested that the real number of those facing hunger's real, ominous and daily threat might be 30 percent higher.

All the while, when the national attention, or should I say national debate, turns to seniors and senior issues, the discussion seems confined primarily to Social Security and Medicare - "their programs," those entitlements to which individuals who have paid into the system look for help to sustain them in their elder years. They regard their payments to the trust funds as investments, and they expect to reap some advantages from those investments. Fair enough. But because these programs are entitlements -- which means both that they guarantee some benefit and that they are costly to the budget to maintain (particularly as there are fewer and fewer young people paying into the system than in years past) -- they have become the rallying cry for those who say "look at what we do for seniors. What more do they want?"

Well, sometimes it's not about what they want, but what they need. Feeding the hungry is not a response to an optional want. It's a moral obligation... and food is certainly something to which every man, woman and child is entitled. Plainly put, it's not good enough any longer for Meals On Wheels to be viewed as a feel-good, do-good social service program. Surely local Meals On Wheels programs are that, and they are integral parts of the fabric of every community. That is why the data show us that 99 percent of the American public views these programs positively. But that's not enough. Our elected officials love these programs, and we are grateful for that. At least once a year they are pleased to do a photo-op delivering a meal. But is once a year enough?
When budget issues arise in Congress and the two parties are duking it out on the floor of the Congress, Meals On Wheels generally comes up. But is it good enough to use the story of cutting off meals to seniors and then fail to make adequate funds available to meet the need, so that in the end, after the partisan sparring is over, Meals On Wheels programs in fact have to reduce the number of meals or the number of seniors they serve?

So, I ask the question again. Is America failing our nation's seniors? And, what do we do about it? We, at Meals On Wheels programs throughout the United States, continue to deliver the best services and meals that we can. We are asked to perform two separate tasks. First is simply to feed those seniors who would otherwise go hungry. Second -- and this sets Meals On Wheels and our services apart -- is to ensure that those being fed receive food that is nutritious; that meets government guidelines for nutritional composition; that is maintained at proper temperatures, even if they are being transported forty or more miles along with other meal deliveries being made to other seniors waiting for their food; that is medically, ethnically, and religiously appropriate; and that tastes good too.

Is America failing our nation's seniors? The statistics would say the answer is yes. But are we failing our nation's seniors? No. We are Meals On Wheels, and Meals On Wheels programs are not failing our nation's seniors. Our programs are a lifeline and an anchor for the hundreds of thousands of seniors who need a helping hand. Yes, we can and we will end senior hunger and provide nutritious meals at the same time. We have the courage of our convictions and we will stand up against those who would seek to shut us out and shut us down. There simply is no other option.

Stand with us. In this the richest nation on Earth no one should go hungry. We must not fail our nation's seniors. Stand with us in this fight.

-- by Enid Borden, President and CEO of the Meals On Wheels Association of America

Food for Thought

According to the Atlanta Regional Commission (2011), access to fresh food decreases with income. This means that our lower-income neighborhoods have less access to the healthier foods needed to successfully age-in-place. Access to fast food was much greater than access to fresh food for both low and very low income subpopulations.

What does this mean for Senior Citizen Services? Our meals and wellness initiatives will continue to be vital for seniors who have low or very low incomes. Under the leadership of our Director of Operations Jerrell Saddler and Meals On Wheels Atlanta Manager Jamell Hamm, our pantry program “Mobile Meals Pantry” is supplementing canned goods with fresh fruits and vegetables. That means that the seniors who benefit from our pantry collaboration with Visiting Nurse Health System, Open Hand and The Atlanta Community Food Bank are now receiving fresh fruit and vegetables as well!

This also means that further brainstorming and partnering will be needed going forward to ensure that our nutrition via Meals On Wheels Atlanta gets to the right seniors when they really need it.

More than “being there” for our seniors, I believe that our education approach via our Neighborhood Senior Centers will be more and more critical as well. Rather than forcing education on our seniors, we utilize proven tools like Stanford’s Chronic Disease Self Management classes and Arthritis Self Management Classes. We also connect amazing providers like our fitness instructor with our seniors—this was our top ranked program of any senior center programs per our last survey.

I am more confident than ever that SCS can make a difference for lower-income seniors who do not have enough access they need to age-in-place successfully. I am also confident that SCS can convene other partners within the transportation arena to enable better access as well.

-- by Jeff Smythe, Executive Director

Senior Citizen Services Announces Older Americans Month Activities

Each May, Senior Citizen Services of Metropolitan Atlanta participates in Older Americans Month as part of the annual nationwide celebration that commemorates the signing of the Older Americans Act. Older Americans Month is an occasion to show appreciation and support for our seniors as they continue to enrich and strengthen our communities. This year’s national theme -- Older Americans: Connecting the Community -- pays homage to the many ways in which older adults bring inspiration and continuity to the fabric of our communities, and highlights how technology is helping older Americans live longer, healthier, and more engaged lives. Thursday, May 5, 10 am—4 pm Neighborhood Senior Centers Open House Fulton County/SCS Senior Centers will be open for seniors to drop by and tour each center. Food and drinks, games, Wii, music, aerobics/exercise, arts & crafts, and much more will be offered. Saturday, May 7, 8:00 am SWEEP! Day—New Horizons Neighborhood Senior Center SWEEP! is a focused, high-impact event where hundreds of volunteers perform home maintenance and enhancement projects for seniors. Get out your paint brush and yard gloves for a special day of service in Atlanta! Thursday, May 12, 10 am—4 pm SPARC Health Fair—Senior Citizen Services Health screenings, referrals, memory screenings, dental exams, blood pressure checks, etc. Tuesday, May 17, 10 am—2 pm Senior Talent Show—Senior Citizen Services Seniors from the Neighborhood Senior Centers will sing, dance, perform dramatic readings, etc. Thursday, May 19, 10 am—2 pm Taste of SCS—Senior Citizen Services Seniors from the Neighborhood Senior Centers will cook up their best dish to share with friends. Saturday, May 21, 8:15 am geneRACEtion 10K and 2K Fun Run— Grant Park Proceeds raised from geneRACEtion will benefit two worthy organizations: Kate’s Club, a non-profit organization that empowers children and teens facing life after the death of a parent or sibling (www.katesclub.org) and Senior Citizen Services of Metropolitan Atlanta, Inc., a nonprofit, community-based organization, has been providing services since 1965 (www.scsatl.org). Register to participate at www.geneRACEtion.org! Wednesday, June 8, 12 noon Open House and Annual Meeting—Senior Citizen Services Senior Citizen Services will open its doors to community and corporate partners to celebrate 46 years of continuous service for older adults in Atlanta.

Seniors Be Aware of Scams

Scams of senior citizens are growing each year. Here are some of the most prevalent scams to be aware of: Investment and work at home schemes: In an effort to supplement their fixed incomes seniors respond to these direct mail and e-mail ads. The investment invitations promise huge returns and usually require victim to sign up quickly. In working from home scams, whether it is stuffing envelopes, data entry or serving as a “mystery shopper” the offers that are not legitimate ask the applicant to send money up front to cover start up costs. Medicare scams: Seniors are called or e-mailed by someone who claims to be with Medicare saying some errors have occurred and they need updated information such as social security, bank account or credit card numbers. Medicare will never request personal financial information by phone or e-mail. Lottery and sweepstakes scams: Typically a letter is sent to the victim announcing they are a big winner of a lottery or sweepstakes. There is either a request to wire money to pay the taxes and process the winning prize or the letter will even include a bogus check with instructions to deposit the check and then wire a portion of the prize back to cover taxes etc. When the check bounces the victim is out of that “tax money” or processing amount with little or no recourse because it was wired to an overseas account. Unprofessional professionals: This con game is more prevalent this time of year. A knock on the door and unsuspecting seniors invite an unscrupulous roof repairer, termite exterminator, gas leak technician, air duct cleaner, or other shoddy home repair specialist into their homes. They often claim to have been working in the neighborhood and noticed or suspected similar problems with the victim’s house. For reliable handyman services, please contact “We Care Home Repair” – a program of Senior Citizen Services of Metropolitan Atlanta – for affordable, trustworthy repairs at 404-351-6573. Bereavement scams: These are the cruelest of all con games: The scammers take advantage of seniors who have recently lost loved ones, most likely a spouse, daughter or son by scouring the obituaries. They call the widow or widower or grieving parent claiming that their dear departed has outstanding debts that need to be paid immediately by check or credit card. Grandchild in trouble scam: The con artist impersonates a grandchild to a senior who may have some hearing deficit or claims to be some sort of law enforcement or public official giving details of the young person’s financial or legal trouble that needs to be dealt with immediately. Wire the money now is the request to avoid sending the grandchild to jail or bailing them out of one. Please ensure that you and your loved ones are vigilant in protecting yourself and the older adults that are important to you.

10K Bridges the geneRACEtion Gap

Senior Citizen Services of Metropolitan Atlanta, Inc. (SCS) and Kate’s Club announced today an exciting geneRACEtion 10K Run and 2K Fun Run benefiting two of Atlanta’s most deserving but often overlooked groups, children and seniors. Both non-profit organizations provide valuable services to meet these groups most basic needs; SCS provides meals and home repair services to Atlanta’s seniors and Kate’s Club programs restore hope for children grieving from a family death.

On Saturday, May 21, two generations will come together to host the annual geneRACEtion 10K Run and 2K Fun Run in Grant Park. We will raise money while running or walking through one of Atlanta’s oldest neighborhoods. More than 1,000 runners are expected to participate. Proceeds raised from geneRACEtion will benefit two worthy organizations:

Kate’s Club is a non-profit organization that empowers children and teens facing life after the death of a parent or sibling. By creating a safe, uplifting environment and providing them with critical skills to cope during a difficult and vulnerable time in their lives, we have a positive impact on grieving youth by preparing them to be productive, healthy members of their families and communities. For more information, please visit http://www.katesclub.org/.

Senior Citizen Services of Metropolitan Atlanta, Inc. (SCS), a nonprofit, community-based organization, has been providing services since 1965 and is designed to support senior independence through meals, shelter, education and community. Their programs include Meals On Wheels Atlanta, Home Repair Services, Vivian T. Minor Adult Day Care for Alzheimer’s/Dementia, and Neighborhood Senior Centers. For more information on programs, please visit http://www.scsatl.org/.

“Although SCS and Kate’s Club are focused on meeting basic living needs for our clients, the geneRACEtion 10K and 2K Fun Run will bring together people from all over the metro area to have fun and to celebrate life in a healthy and invigorating way,” said Jeffrey Smythe, Executive Director of Senior Citizen Services of Metropolitan Atlanta, Inc. (SCS). “Through participation in the geneRACEtion 10K and 2K Fun Run, metro Atlantans can remember what it is like to be a child, and sometimes how difficult that is, and at the same time, we’re all looking forward to growing older in an independent and dignified way.”

Emily Brenner Hawkins, Executive Director of Kate’s Club said, “The Kate’s Club children are so excited run in memory of their loved ones and to join our friends at SCS in this wonderful celebration of life and community.”

To register for the 10K or 2K races, please visit http://www.generacetion.org/. On-line registrations will be accepted until May 19. Registration fee is $35 for the 10K and $25 for the 2K.

Meals On Wheels Atlanta Fights Hunger at Georgia State Capitol

Meals On Wheels Atlanta, a program of Senior Citizen Services of Metropolitan Atlanta (SCS), will join with dozens of other meal-on-wheels providers across the state to talk to state legislators about the alarming senior hunger rates. Jeffrey Smythe, SCS Executive Director, will be taking seniors to the State Capitol on February 23rd as a part of the newly formed Meals On Wheels Association of Georgia.

Older Georgians ranked 6th in the nation for the prevalence of food insecurity between 2001 and 2007 and food insecurity is expected to increase because of the current economic recession across the nation. Furthermore, 138,000 meals across the state are at risk for cuts, which could, in turn, risk federal funds for meals on wheels and congregate meals programs.

Under the auspices of the Meals On Wheels Association of America (MOWAA), the Meals On Wheels Association of Georgia is a non-profit, statewide network of senior nutrition providers allied in the battle to end senior hunger.

“State and federal funding for senior programs is decreasing,” said Jeffrey Smythe. “At the same time, Meals On Wheels programs across Georgia are seeing an increase in demand. Statewide waiting lists are growing each day.”

Meals On Wheels Atlanta is proud to be a founding member of the statewide organization and will participate in several activities during Senior Week at the Capitol February 21-25, 2011. MOWAG was created to strengthen communication between nutrition programs and enhance knowledge of topical issues within the aging population. The Meals On Wheels Association of Georgia strives to fulfill the national goals set forth by MOWAA on a state wide basis.

Walking Improves Memory

A study published in January 31st indicates that walking can improve memory. Read more here.

Seniors in the Fulton County Neighborhood Seniors Centers in Atlanta are “walking to Seattle.” Walking clubs have been formed in each center and seniors are counting their steps. Each senior client participating in the walking club wears a pedometer provided by Kaiser Permanente which records every step taken each day.

So far, the seniors have walked more than 500 miles since beginning the project in September. Their goal is to “reach” Seattle by this summer.

Seniors in Seattle are also walking to Atlanta. At the end of the journey, the Neighborhood Senior Centers will host a video conference with their counterparts on the west coast.

Individual Givers More Important Than Ever

Thank you to every individual and family who donated to Senior Citizen Services last year.

The Georgia Center for Nonprofits held their annual economic outlook meeting yesterday at Bank of America. I was reminded, once again, of how important individual donors are to Senior Citizen Services. For 2009, 74% of charitable giving in the USA was done by individuals – not government grants and not corporations. If you add the family foundations into the mix, that figure jumps to 82%.

Like many other nonprofits, SCS is continuing to see a decline in government funding and funding from agencies like United Way. At the same time, we are seeing an increase demand for services as the baby boomers are joining the ranks of older adults.

Our goal for the next five years is to increase our client base by 42% -- an aggressive goal. We can only do this with increased individual giving.

So, once again, THANK YOU for your gifts that make our work possible and enable SCS to support senior independence through meals, shelter, education and community.

P.S. Please remember SCS in your wills and trusts.

-- by Steve Hargrove, Director of Events and Marketing

Fear and Loathing . . . but mostly Fear

have worked for Senior Citizen Services for more than four years, in a city that is nearly 500 miles from where my 82-year-old grandmother lives and 1,000 from where she grew up. The seniors we serve always seem so different than my grandmother. They’re widows like Gram, but they have often lived in their homes for decades. Gram moved to Florida, the eternal retirement state, five years ago because the property taxes were easier to handle than on the house she where she had raised her family in New Jersey. Many of our seniors have never driven or stopped driving years ago; Gram continues to drive, safely and legally, and is petrified of the day she is no longer able.

Yet, there are times when the similarities bowl me over. She is the only one of her siblings still alive, save a brother-in-law with severe dementia and a sister-in-law she hasn’t spoken to in years. Her best friend, a Holocaust survivor, died the day before my Gram arrived for a visit in September. Still it surprises me when I hear myself having a conversation with my mother that sounds so familiar. Last week, for example, I called Mom after work. She was in the grocery store with Gram, and as we talked (while Gram was in another aisle), she told me about the latest struggle.

Mom has a mother-in-law suite in her home that she rents out, and she has been looking for a new tenant for a few months. As she has several times before, she invited Gram to move in. She would have her own space, but they would be closer and Gram wouldn’t have to do so much on her own. My grandmother refuses this offer every time it is made, and after five years, the refusal is no longer polite. She wants her independence at whatever cost, even though the cost is already affecting her quality of life.

These days, making breakfast wipes her out until nearly dinnertime; she is likely to have toast for the former, cereal for the latter. When we ask about it, she says meat is too expensive these days. I suggested we sign Gram up for meals on wheels, and Mom instantly explained why that would never work. “She wouldn’t eat the kind of food; she never really has an appetite.” And yet these are the conversations we have with clients every day. “Add some garlic powder to the food – it’s a great replacement for salt; eat small high-nutrient meals throughout the day.”

With the job I have, I am already aware that it’s not easy to grow old, and it’s not easy to accept help. But I always feel that it’s a surmountable problem. We’re going on five years of Gram living near Mom, and four of my working with seniors. I haven’t found a solution yet, but I do know one thing. In 56 years, when I’m Gram’s age, or in 26 years, when I’m Mom’s, I’m pretty sure we’ll be having this conversation again.

-- by Jaclyn Barbarow, Grants and Database Manager

Santa for Seniors

On December 7th, nearly 75 friends of Senior Citizen Services gathered with Santa Clause for lunch in Buckhead. Each guest brought a new, unwrapped gift for a senior to be delivered during the holidays. At the end of the luncheon, a mound of blankets, robes, hats, scarves, books, etc., were waiting to be gift wrapped.

Santa for Seniors exemplifies the spirit of Santa by providing volunteers the opportunity to purchase inexpensive “senior friendly” items such as magnifying glasses, neck pillows, throws, and many other gifts that can be given to lonely and homebound seniors on special occasions and especially during the holidays.

The week before Christmas brought several volunteers in to the SCS offices to wrap and label a gift for each senior Meals On Wheels Atlanta client. Volunteers enjoyed their festive time together with holiday music and snacks provided by Henri’s Bakery.

The gifts were delivered with meals on Christmas Eve. Many seniors do not have family in town and this visit from a friendly volunteer driver helped make their Christmas a little brighter.