Independent Living

Senior citizens and persons with disabilities maintain their independence and self-reliance, and continue to participate in community activities. The Independent Living Pathway leads to dignity and choices throughout life.

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Independent Living (1:41)

Customer Impacts (fiscal year 2011-12)

• 3,886 senior citizens maintained their independent lifestyles as a result of in-home and community-based services.
• 813 homebound seniors maintained their nutritional health by receiving 110,147 home-delivered meals.  Weekday deliveries also provided a social contact and safety check to enable those seniors to remain in their homes.
• Home modifications or assistive devices that were provided for 56 seniors addressed access and safety concerns.
• 3 seniors were transitioned from nursing home care to their own homes to resume their independent lifestyles.
• 98 primary caregivers provided care to ensure that 98 seniors were able to remain at home.
• 10 grandparents provided a stable home environment for 15 neglected or abandoned grandchildren.
• Specialized in-home care services enabled 182 seniors to avoid nursing home placement and remain in their own homes.
• 29 low-income seniors had general and health care powers of attorney prepared.
• 566 seniors were able to remain in their own homes, utilizing 49,906 hours of personal care and home support services.
• 1,203 seniors regularly attended Senior Community Centers for exercise, learning, recreation and nutritious meals.  These seniors benefited from health clinics (including flu shots), farmers’ market vouchers, food distribution, and tax preparation services.
• 55 seniors who had reported experiencing abuse, exploitation, neglect by a caretaker, or self-neglect had these reports investigated and problems resolved.
• 103 workers with disabilities were able to maintain their employment with 91 local employers by utilizing affordable STEP Transportation.
• 2,902 customers successfully accessed health care professionals as a result of 85,524 one-way trips.
• 3,329 customers maintained their independent lifestyles by accessing STEP transportation for 110,447 one-way trips covering 921,172 miles.

Community Impacts (fiscal year 2011-2012)

• $37,678 was paid to local contractors for home modifications and assistive devices.
• $923,762 was paid to local vendors for in-home care services and supplies through personal care, home support, and the Family Caregiver Support Program.
• Ombudsmen trained 100 residents in 24 nursing facilities and personal care homes to be Resident Rights Advocates in their facilities.
• $2,801,375 was paid to local vendors for specialized in-home care services, supporting nearly 150 local jobs.
• $469,104 was paid to local vendors in the provision of nutritious meals for seniors.
   

Success Story

STEP Office of Aging was able to offer service to the eight consumers who, due to insufficient funding, been placed on a waiting list for the Family Caregiver Support Program during the previous fiscal year.  One care receiver is age 55 and suffers from early onset of a chronic dementia.  Normally the care receiver needs to be age 60 or over, but there is an exception for early onset of a chronic dementia.  This man requires constant supervision and assistance with eating, bathing, dressing,  and other activities.  His spouse is the caregiver.  They are receiving reimbursement for the cost of supplies and respite care.  Without the care of his spouse and services from STEP, this gentleman would surely require residence in a nursing facility.

For the month of September 2012, STEP Transportation supported the independent living of 1,042 Lycoming and Clinton County residents.  Of the 1,042 customers, 406 were persons with a disability.  Additionally, of the 6,811 total trips provided, 2,323 were for customers over the age of 60.  Each safe trip is a success.  With over 60,000 accident-free miles logged during the month of September alone, I would call that a success!

A 75-year-old disabled gentleman talked to me about his misfortunes after one of the community listening sessions associated with the Four Year Plan.  I referred him to Denise Dieter, an attorney under contract to provide limited legal services to seniors, and who represents Aging in protective services cases.  Ms. Dieter was able to terminate a predatory credit contract that had been taking  half of his small monthly retirement income, making it difficult for him to buy food and medicine.  Ms. Dieter was also able to  facilitate the return of a lawn tractor that he had loaned to a friend and that the friend refused to return.  Ms. Dieter is currently working with the State Police to arrange for the return of other possessions from another uncooperative friend with whom he had lived prior to his current illness.  On another matter, Ms. Dieter traveled to Renovo to complete general and health care powers of attorney for an 87-year-old female that will enable family to assist with nursing facility and hospital issues.