Free Home Service For Seniors Expands

At the time of year that seniors are most vulnerable emotionally, a free service to assist them is growing. The Home Visit Program is an initiative by senior care professionals at Emeritus at Liberal Springs that’s designed to check on the well being of older people throughout the region.

The program is being expanded at this time because the approaching holidays bring a greater risk of depression among seniors. To further encourage families to take advantage of the Home Visit Program, the public is now invited to call Emeritus at Liberal Springs directly at (620) 624-8000 to request a visit to a local senior. This is a significant step for the initiative, which has primarily operated through referrals from agencies and emergency services providers since being launched in 2009.

“Just in the past year, we have conducted 243 home visits, so we know the need is great,” said Susan Ingland, executive director of Emeritus at Liberal Springs. “In encouraging the public to contact us, we seek to make the program more easily accessible to a greater number of people.” Through the Home Visit Program, family members can arrange for an Emeritus at Liberal Springs expert to go to the home of an elderly loved one to see if he or she is doing well physically and psychologically. Emeritus then connects the senior and family with the proper resources and services to provide assistance.

“We may bring a hot meal, snack or dessert, and we also offer a listening ear and companionship,” said Susan Ingland. “Afterwards, if needed, we coordinate between families and community resources. We may also follow up with additional visits. All of what we do through the Home Visit Program is complimentary.”

Emeritus at Liberal Springs decided to expand the Home Visit Program during the holiday season because of the increased likelihood of depression among the elderly at this time of year. “We are committed to the principle of ‘safely somewhere,’ which means that we do what we can to ensure that each senior in the area is residing in a safe environment that meets his or her needs, whether it is in the home or in a senior living setting. As the older population continues to grow, this crucial issue is affecting more and more individuals and families. It’s one that we take very seriously.”

Emeritus at Liberal Springs is located at 1500 Terrace Avenue. It offers independent and assisted living, and provides care for Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s and other memory impairing diseases. It is operated by Emeritus Senior Living.