Reaching Out To Elders And Caregivers

We are fortunate at MVES to be able to offer a range of services for many elders and caregivers. Many programs are available to all elders and caregivers. Other programs, such as the state home care program, have specific income and need requirements. What if an elder doesn’t meet the predefined requirements? They go without.

No agency can be expected to provide subsidized services to all people. But, MVES finds itself refusing services to people who are just outside those stringent requirements set by the government. Perhaps a person is $100 over income. Or, maybe they don’t have enough unmet critical needs.

The sad reality is that some frail elders aren’t getting the services they need to remain independent. These elders are left out because they have just enough money to exclude them from subsidized help but not enough money to pay for help. Or, they are excluded because as disabled as they may be, the guidelines don’t say they’re at-risk enough to qualify for services.

So, what about these elders who sit on the border of eligibility? They become more at-risk because they don’t have the help they need. They go to hospitals or nursing homes, places where they don’t necessarily want to be. Independence is lost quickly—and it wouldn’t have been lost at all if only they could have received a small amount of help.

We can’t change the guidelines, but we can help these elders and caregivers who just miss the eligibility requirements and who need assistance. MVES recently kicked off a five-year fundraising campaign called The Campaign for Independence. This campaign hopes to raise $500,000 over five years. The interest earned from the endowment will pay for services to the elders described—elders who need help but don’t qualify for it. The fund also will allow MVES to partner with families and friends who are the backbone of the caregiving system. We will be able to reward families for their extra efforts by assisting them in small but meaningful, individualized ways.

We hope you’ll learn more about the Campaign for Independence. The endowment it will create will make a measurable mark on the elder population in our area.