Charity Launches “Adopt-A-Senior Program
The Eliza DoLittle Society [TEDS] launched their “Adopt a Senior Program” today, which sees members of the public buy a bag of groceries for a senior once or twice a month.
Open to the public starting Friday June 1st, 2012, the program will work initially thru the feeding centres that TEDS support and will be utilizing Age Concern for any seniors and contacts that would like to get involved. TEDS hopes to help seniors with their grocery needs while also creating a connection between them and their sponsors.
“A large portion of Bermuda’s population is older. Many are becoming dependant on their already struggling family or are just retired and can not make ends meet in this economy”, comments Margaret Ward, Executive Director at TEDS.
“The program was created to address the grocery needs of seniors who could use some assistance in obtaining sufficient and nutritional food on a regular basis. Bermuda’s census shows an ageing population and many of the support systems relied upon by elderly in the past have begun to dissolve, ” said a spokesperson.
According to Age Concern, they are being inundated with calls for help from seniors struggling to pay for basic services during the economic crisis. TEDS is hopeful the new grocery program will help.
Taking direction from various charities, like World Vision, where you sponsor a child, TEDS program will have much of the same features, although the support is just for the provision of basic groceries.
There will be a short bio of the senior: age, gender, parish, along with their dietary needs, likes and dislikes, and food allergies. To protect the seniors, however, everything will be anonymous. No names or addresses will be used or specific identifiable features.
To participate in the “Adopt a Senior” program, individuals, families, school classes and other groups can select an anonymous senior or a senior couple and provide a bag of groceries once a bi-weekly or once a month for them, in accordance with their food needs and likes. This could include fresh food such as milk, eggs, butter, vegetables, fruit, sliced meats, etc.
“Many elderly people are not getting the proper nutrition. Be it from either not having or eating enough food or simply not having access to fresh or nutritional food”, explains Ms Ward.
The bags of groceries can then be delivered to the nearest feeding centre to where the seniors live or to the group/centre that has nominated them.
“Having someone bring groceries to them makes them feel like someone cares while also helping their financial strain”, comments Ms Ward. “Many of our seniors are simply lonely. This is a way to have contact, no matter how small, with the outside world.”
TEDS hopes to initiate a second phase to the program later on this year. If the sponsored senior would like to have a relationship with their donor and if direct delivery by the donor is possible, the groceries may be delivered directly to the sponsored senior.
Guidelines will be established for the donors so that the seniors’ privacy and safety is not invaded. This depends on the initial success of the program and how much of an impact it has.
Age Concern has agreed to take the names of seniors who are interested in being involved in the program, as well as members of the public who are willing to adopt a senior. To contact The Eliza DoLittle Society call 333-4483 or follow them on Facebook or Twitter for more information.
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How Sad! BOTH of Bermuda’s political parties have always ignored the plight of Seniors many of whom have to choose between eating and medical needs–except the usual mouth service at Election time(s)+then continue their abuse thereafter!! It’s disgusting!! Perhaps the only way to stop this abuse is if Age Concern or some other Seniors Group organised seniors into a ‘voting block’–THAT would get the attention of our high living politicos–from BOTH parties! Long live Louise Jackson and a pox upon the houses of our high living politicians–especially Zane DeSilva!!
HOW SAD!!Bermuda has a long history of negligent treatment of it’s Seniors–by BOTH political parties,except at Election time,of course!! It’s DISGUSTING!! And it shows no sign of abating! What’s needed is Age Concern or another Seniors Group to organise Seniors into a ‘voting block’-THAT will get the attention of our self serving politicos!!