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Date last updated 4:12 pm Feb 1st, 2010
Recognizing a gap in services and support available to the elderly, the Social Service League of Cohasset has teamed up with Wellspring Multi-Service Center to create the Elder Care Fund, designed to reach out to senior citizens in the communities of Cohasset, Hingham, Hull, Norwell and Scituate and provide immediate aid in critical situations. Funded by a grant from the Social Service League’s Mary Hooper Fund, Wellspring professionals work with Council on Aging outreach representatives from each of these South Shore towns to identify candidates for the program based on need, determine eligibility and direct the funds swiftly.
People aged 62 and older are experiencing unprecedented and often daunting economic uncertainties today. Rising medical costs may cause hard decisions to be made between needed prescriptions, food, heat and home repairs. An unexpected illness, injury or loss of income can push some seniors to the edge of homelessness and despair. The senior population is exploding and expanded services are critical in order to preserve the quality of life and independence of this vulnerable segment of our community.
The Elder Care Fund has been in place since July, and the results have been remarkable. “We have been able to use these funds to make an immediate impact on the lives of so many seniors,” said Wellspring Executive Director Vinny Harte. “Sometimes even a modest amount of help can stabilize a situation and turn things around.”
Working with the Councils on Aging in the five different communities has uncovered a myriad of unfilled needs. In one instance, a local resident was out of work for a year and had built up many bills. With winter looming, the Elder Care Fund provided assistance with past due heat bills and helped the man get back on his feet. An elderly woman needed to move into a more affordable apartment. All her available money was spent on rent deposits, and through this program Wellspring was able to step in and help with moving expenses. Working with local pharmacies, Wellspring has identified seniors struggling to make co-pays on vital prescriptions and provided assistance. In other instances the Elder Care Fund has provided oxygen tanks, eye glasses, hearing aids and dental work, filling vital gaps and improving the quality of life for those in need.
“Mary Hooper would be so pleased that her legacy is making a real difference in the lives of the elderly,” said Social Service League President Marita Carpenter. “Seniors face unique challenges that affect their health and independence, and many don’t know where to go for assistance. We created the Elder Care Fund specifically to address those challenges, and the Wellspring organization is a perfect fit to reach out to people on the South Shore.”
Wellspring’s mission is to provide support and skills to people facing challenges to their financial, physical or emotional well-being, to help them achieve independence and self-sufficiency. In addition to helping seniors sift through the complexities of Medicare and Medicaid, Wellspring counselors offer other services dedicated to helping seniors remain comfortable and secure in their own homes. Wellspring counselors are available five days a week, and see seniors in two locations, offering assistance such as facilitating online applications for fuel assistance and food stamps.
The Social Service League of Cohasset identifies and assists the most needy and least served people of all ages within the communities of Cohasset, Hingham, Hull, Norwell and Scituate. The League creates, develops and supports programs that directly help those in need through generous donations and educational programs that have a positive and meaningful impact on these five communities. The League’s Mary Hooper Fund provides assistance to the elderly in Cohasset and the neighboring communities in Plymouth County, with an emphasis on helping them to remain in their homes.