By Liza Berger, Staff Writer
Still, of note is that one rural program for the elderly has
not encountered cultural resistance. A PACE site in rural
Kulpmont, Pennsylvania, has found that seniors are receptive to
coming to its center, which provides recreational activities, as
well as physical and occupational therapy, and a primary care
clinic. Amy Minnich, director of the site, said that the program
brings in seniors several days a week. “Typically, rural seniors
are less likely to come and socialize,” she said. “But we bring
people in three to five days a week.”
People in the community, who have learned about the site
through word-of-mouth, have reacted positively to the program,
which offers an interdisciplinary team of physicians,
nutritionists, social workers and others, to cater to the
participants, she noted. “It’s a very feel-good program,”
Minnich said. “We have families that are sharing the word... on
what it’s done for their loved ones.”
Rural Caregiver Support
Fearless Caregiver conferences have been held across the
nation since 1998 with nearly half of the events having been
held in Florida. According to Barg, “We are taking the events
into rural areas because as a rural caregiver, you have all the
usual responsibilities and stresses of caregiving, compounded by
issues of time, distance and terrain. You’re less likely to
receive the help, support, attention, and respite that you
need.”
Caregiver.com has created a special information channel
dedicated to rural caregivers. The channel includes articles,
interviews and information specific to those caring for their
loved ones in rural America.
Visit the Rural
Caregiver Channel
The following are a few rural support organizations from the
Rural Assistance Center (www.raconline.org).
See the Web site for more.
Caregiving Across the States (http://www.caregiver.org):
Information on publicly funded caregiver support programs in
each of the 50 states and the District of Columbia.
The Eldercare Locator: A service of the U.S. Administration
on Aging. It finds local agencies in every U.S. community that
can help older persons and their families access home and
community-based services like transportation, meals, home care,
and caregiver support services. The phone number is (800)
677-1116.
Rural CaregiversRuralcare.info is designed to help bridge the
information gap and create a web support community for rural
caregivers. It also offers caregiver resources by state
and region.
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