Jeff Smith, Hornell Evening Tribune
·5 min read
Centenarian Bertha McShane has lived in her Steuben County home for six decades, and has no interest in moving.
With help from the Steuben Senior Services Fund, she hopes to celebrate her 101st birthday in the house filled with so many other family memories.
“The services and companionship (Steuben Senior Services Fund) have provided to help my 100-year-old mother is the primary reason she can stay in her home of 60 years,” said Brian McShane, Bertha McShane's son. “Full Circle America gives not only to her, but to all of the rest of her extended family a great deal of peace of mind knowing she has such a wonderful resource.”
Full Circle America is a program offered through the Steuben Senior Services Fund, using funding provided by the United Way of the Southern Tier. It supports elders living in the comfort of their own homes, living their lives to the fullest using technology, social networking, and life management.
“We are the only county in New York state that has this program available for its seniors,” said Linda Tetor, director of the Steuben Senior Services Fund.
With the help of a recent United Way donation, Steuben Senior Services aims to enroll more seniors in Full Circle America.
United Way donations strengthen programs for senior citizens
Older adults want to stay in their homes as they age, and recent donations to 13 programs in Steuben and Chemung counties will help some do just that.
The United Way recently donated nearly $172,000 to local programs to make life better for seniors and to encourage best practices by the organizations that serve them, said United Way President Stephen M. Hughes.
“The grants are being awarded as part of a six-year commitment to invest $1 million toward strengthening programming for local senior citizens,”said Hughes.
The Steuben Senior Services Fund works throughout Steuben County to ensure members of the senior citizen community receive adequate in-home health services to help them remain independent in their own home. Tetor said the increase in resources from these grants helps keep more people in their homes.
“That's really the big thing right now,” Tetor said. “Whichever agency receives this fund, it's increasing our capacity to help them do exactly what they want to do, stay at home as long as possible.”
Hughes said the United Way has been providing these funds to support programs for the past three years of a six-year plan.
“The funds have served the aging community extremely well,” Hughes said. “We're looking forward to a lot more good things to come from this funding.”
Donations help in many different ways
Tetor said the United Way donations allow groups like Meals on Wheels, Pro Action and other agencies to purchase things needed to better aid the senior citizen community.
The Steuben Senior Services Fund is upgrading technology in senior citizens' homes that helps build a circle of care around individual seniors.
“We use various ways, like Alexa Echo, to increase communication with family members, friends, medical providers, to keep in touch with senior citizens at their home,” Tetor said. “We provide passive check-ins a couple times a day to ensure that people are safe.”
Tetor said the funds help provide a 24/7 hotline for individuals needing constant consultation for things like a medical issue if they can't reach their doctor.
“That's provided through the funds that we get from the United Way senior support,” Tetor said.
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Chemung, Steuben donations through United Way Senior Support Fund
The organizations and grant awards in 2024 are:
Arbor Housing and Development: $20,000 for home repairs and accessibility for the elderly.
Bampa’s House: $8,100 for repairs to the exterior bricks, foundation and steps.
Chemung County Department of Aging and Long Term Care: $20,000 for a pilot program to alleviate unsafe conditions, remove debris, and address code violations.
Chemung County Habitat for Humanity: $12,000 for a program to provide ramps for homes.
Corning Meals on Wheels: $18,260 to purchase microwavable food containers and an online scheduling tool.
Family Services of Chemung County: $5,400 for tuition for two personal care aide students and for purchase of needed office equipment.
Home & Health Care Services: $10,000 for a new clinical information module computer program.
Hornell Area Family YMCA: $5,000 for a senior “Lunch and Learn” program.
Meals on Wheels of Chemung County: $6,445 to purchase a reach-in freezer.
Pro Action Meals on Wheels: $14,000 to purchase a dishwasher and three-door refrigerator.
Neighborhood Transformation Center: $17,500 for a “Grandparents Raising Grandchildren” program and for safety repairs to the building entry.
Steuben Senior Services Fund: $25,000 to enroll more seniors in Full Circle America
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Hughes said the Senior Supports Fund was created through an anonymous bequest to United Way of the Southern Tier to further assist the senior population who wish to age in place where they are comfortable and happy, fostering both independence and enhanced social connections within their community.
Grants are awarded in addition to annual allocations made by United Way of the Southern Tier through donations from the public to the Community Campaign.Grant applications will be accepted again in Spring 2025.
This article originally appeared on The Evening Tribune: New support for Steuben program helping more seniors remain at home
