Spotlight: ElderHealth Northwest
ElderHealth Northwest is an organization that focuses on helping the elderly stay in their homes with their families. I was able to speak with Meggie LaValley, their AmeriCorps VISTA Outreach Coordinator about the great work they do there and the importance of taking care of our elders.
So what exactly is ElderHealth Northwest all about?
Meggie: ElderHealth Northwest is a community-based nonprofit which enhances the quality of life of elders, adults with disabilities and their caregivers. Basically our goal is to prevent premature or unnecessary placements into nursing homes.
What are some examples of services and programs your organization provides?
Meggie: Well, we are most known for our adult day health centers which are much like senior centers — places where older adults can socialize and enjoy group activities, but they also include specialized nursing and rehabilitative therapy programs.
Adults come in during the day, and go home at night. These adult day health programs help frail elders and disabled adults maintain or improve their physical, social and cognitive functioning.
Nursing and rehabilitative services combined with social programs help our participants stay living at home. Other services include care consultation, in-home care, mental health services and volunteer companions. We also operate two homes in Seattle for persons with dementia.
Wow, so you seem to provide a pretty comprehensive list of services.
Meggie: Well, we believe that the combination of these services is ideal in maintaining independence.
Does your organization focus on low-income or high-need elders or are the services open to anyone?
Meggie: Great question. We serve over 1,400 individuals each year; participants include frail and physically challenged older adults, as well as younger adults with developmental disabilities or an acquired brain injury. About 97% of these individuals are low income.
So although these services are offered to everyone, the majority of our participants are low-income.
Is there a reason for that?
Meggie: As we are a non-profit agency we strive to provide services for anyone who needs it, regardless of their income. I guess it just happened naturally!
That’s great.
Earlier, you mentioned the need to prevent premature or unnecessary placements into nursing homes. My question is, are nursing homes not a good place for seniors?
Meggie: . Well, that’s a tricky question. I’m sure that there may be nursing homes with excellent services out there; I just know that personally I would want to spend my remaining days in the comfort of my own home, instead of a large, sterile facility. Programs like in-home care allow people to do just that.
Ah, yeah, I think that’s something a lot of people don’t realize.
Meggie: I agree.
So what makes your organization different from other nonprofits?
Meggie: Well we have a few great programs not many non-profits offer. For example, we have a service called the “Get Active Program” (GAP). Our program for adults with disabilities is, in my opinion, especially important because there are limited opportunities for adults with disabilities once they are out of high school. Along with social and recreational activities, this program promotes independence in functional living skills, and includes training in personal hygiene care, transferring, and mobility. It also focuses on teaching life skills relating to communication, attention and memory, and organization.
I should also mention that our programs are also a time for caregivers to get some respite. Being a full-time caregiver is a complex and time consuming job, and people need a support system. That’s where we come in. Participants come to ElderHealth and caregivers are able to run errands, go to work, or just have time to relax.
That’s very cool. I’m sure being a caregiver can really burn a person out.
Would you want to speak a bit to the importance of elder care? Overall, it seems that they are often a neglected population.
Meggie: Sure. Personally, working in this environment has been very eye-opening for me and has changed my beliefs about aging and dying. People are scared of death; they don’t want to talk about think, about it, or see it. For me, that is really sad as we have a lot to learn from our elders. Stories and traditions are being lost because we are neglecting and ignoring this population.
I have so much fun spending time in the day center, hearing stories about the past and getting opinions about the present. Their insight is important and I think if people found the time to sit and really listen then our world might be a different place.
Haha, a little cheesy but true!
Heh, I think you’re right.
With that, is there a way people can sit and talk with folks? Are there volunteer positions available?
Meggie: There sure are, Yuri. We are always looking for volunteers to help out in our day centers. There are numerous opportunities available; volunteers are greeters in the morning and help out in activities. If a volunteer has a special skill and wants to share that with the participants, that is encouraged as well.
We are also looking for volunteers to get out in the community and help outreach. In this new program called the “Street Team,” volunteers will go to targeted businesses and health care facilities to deliver ElderHealth rack cards. This is a great way to spread the word about ElderHealth and also get some exercise and fresh air. If you live in King County, it may be as easy as leaving a stack at your local grocery store or book store the next time you are there.
We also have a volunteer companionship program called ElderFriends.
You can visit elderhealth.org to learn more or contact me at MeggieL@elderhealth.org.
Aside from volunteering, are there other ways people can get involved with your organization? Petitions? Donations?
Meggie: Yes, we are always looking for donations! In fact, we are in the process of planning a fundraising breakfast benefit taking place October 1st. Best-selling travel author Rick Steves is attending, so if you’d like to have breakfast with this local celebrity, email me to find out how to get involved.
Other than that, tell your friends, family members and co-workers about the great services and opportunities we have here. Word of mouth really goes a long way!
Definitely. Just being able to get others to know about an organization is pretty important. I think I just have one last question; do you have anything else you’d like to plug or talk about?
Meggie: Well, I think you’ve covered everything I can think of. I’ll send you my “formal” announcement for the “Street Team” in case anyone is interested in fun summer volunteer opportunity. I appreciate you taking the time to learn more about ElderHealth, thanks again!
Get Fresh Air and Exercise While You Volunteer! (No Heavy Lifting Required!)
Do you enjoy socializing and meeting new people? We need outgoing and responsible volunteers to update King County residents about ElderHealth Northwest, an award-winning provider of community-based services to support elders and adults with disabilities.
What: As part of a street team duo, stop by clinics, pharmacies and retailers to deliver informative “rack cards.”
When: Scheduling is flexible, during weekday business hours (M-F 9:00am-5:00pm) at your discretion.
Why: To gain outreach experience and improve public relation skills while giving back to your community.
If interested, please call Meggie LaValley, Outreach Coordinator at (206) 224-3749, or email her MeggieL@elderhealth.org to get the details. We look forward to hearing from you!
Awesome. Thanks so much! I think it’s great that you’re serving such an important population of people here.
Meggie: It feels great to be a part of, I know where I’ll be in 80 years! (If I’m lucky…)
Um, that’ll put you at 104 years old….
Meggie: I guess that’s my goal!
Quick Info:
Organization:
ElderHealth Northwest
Website:
ElderHealth.org
Mission Statement:
“ElderHealth Northwest is dedicated to enhancing the quality of life of frail older people. We respect the dignity of our participants, and we provide for them with care and compassion. We are committed, through our program of health and social services, to the independence and well-being of older people and to the provision of respite for caregivers.”
How to Get Involved:
Volunteer
Donate
Upcoming Events
ElderHealth Northwest Annual Benefit Breakfast
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