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Aging with Dignity

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February 5, 2020

Across the country, communities are facing the challenge of meeting the needs of the growing aging population and we in the Midlands of South Carolina are no different.  We strive to create livable communities for all ages but for many of our local seniors the growing expenses of daily living, combined with increased mobility, health, and other care needs creates a dire living situation.  Our needs-based services are often the difference of making ends meet.   

According to the recently released Elder Index (https://elderindex.org/), Richland County seniors living at 200% of the poverty level with good health, have less than $40 a month available for living expenses.  Even more alarming is that the study shows that as health deteriorates, Richland County seniors face a minimum monthly deficit of $169, with costs further escalating as health and independence declines.  The result is that many seniors are forced each month with the traumatic decision to pay their bills or buy food. This is a choice no one should be forced to make.

Our services like Meals on Wheels, Senior Wellness Centers, Home Care and Senior Wheels aim to serve these seniors and break the cycle of despair that forces such traumatic decisions.  Seniors who qualify for our programs are often able to lower living expenses by $100 per month or more for food, transportation, and other needs, while also improving health outcomes through a well-balanced nutrition, increased social interaction, and access to personal care to create a healthy home environment.  Those outcomes enable the senior to remain in their own home, enjoy a modest standard of living, and delay or avoid the high-costs associated with declining health and institutionalization.  

The result is that we allow our elderly neighbors to age with dignity.  This simple promise is the least we as a community can make to our older adults who have shaped and formed us.  As our aging populations continues to grow and the cost of living continues to creep upward, we will see the need for these services also grow.   To meet demand we need to find new ways and partnerships to expand services and increase accessibility. Today and in the years to come, we are committed to continue to fulfill the promise of aging with dignity.