REGION — When her 92-year-old husband became ill in the summer of 2014, she was able to manage well enough, driving him to multiple doctor visits, seeing to his comfort and tending to household chores like grocery shopping, cleaning, meal preparation and laundry.

But as his condition worsened, demands increased. She drove him to the emergency room in the middle of the night nine times. Without any professional help, she cared for him during the day and sometimes through the night.

Then in August, she broke her foot stepping off a curb. She wasn’t able to drive.

How could she possibly manage now?

A lot of help from her friends

When her friends from the Upper Delaware Unitarian Universalist Fellowship (UDUUF) in Beach Lake learned of her situation, they rallied to her aid, making a monthly calendar on which they recorded all her appointments. Then they asked fellow congregants to lend a hand. Not only did they provide transportation for her and her husband, they also visited with home-cooked foods. Even when her refrigerator broke down, someone took her shopping for a new one. “I was completely covered,” she said.

As her husband became more debilitated, friends continued helping in innumerable ways, and as they did, they began to develop a heightened awareness of the needs of our aging population. What would have happened had she lacked her support network, they wondered? What happens to those in similar circumstances who can’t rely on friends and family for help?

Call to action

These concerns impelled them to action. Since the beginning of 2015, UDUUF members Barbara Leo, Ginny Nordstrom, Carol Rocklin and Pat Sanders have been actively working to initiate a community effort to find solutions to the problems facing our aging population. Other volunteers from the wider community have joined their efforts to form a steering committee with a mission to raise awareness about and address the needs of the elderly among us, an ever-increasing segment of the population.

The U.S. Census Bureau projects that the number of people age 85 years old and over could grow to 19 million by 2050. In Pike County, PA 15.2% of the population is 65 years of age or older. In Wayne County, the number is 20.1% and in Sullivan, NY, 16.2%.

The community rallies support

Many older people will tell you that their primary desire is to live independently in their own homes as they age. The steering committee hopes to connect people with needs to people willing to respond to those needs without duplicating services offered by county agencies.

At a March 16 meeting, which attracted about 35 attendees, a panel presented information on various aging-in-place models such as co-housing and virtual villages. A discussion followed in which participants explored these overriding questions: How can we create a community more responsive to the needs of an aging population? What services exist for older people in Wayne and Pike counties in Pennsylvania and Sullivan County in New York, and how can they be improved? What services are missing?

Brainstorming solutions

At a meeting on April 13, participants brainstormed a list of ways to assist their aging neighbors. Then they compiled an extensive list of ways they could enhance the ease of life for neighbors growing older at home. That list included such things as climbing on a ladder to change a light bulb, doing yard work, driving at night, cleaning, simple home repairs, transportation to and assistance with shopping, helping with paperwork, reading aloud, legal advice, conversation and help with bookkeeping. There was some discussion of ways to enhance intergenerational connections.

Next, the group learned more about Virtual Villages, also called Intentional Communities, organizations that coordinate access to services such as transportation, social and educational activities, and other day-to-day needs. Enlisting both volunteers and paid staff, these organizations help people remain connected to their neighbors as they age in their own homes.

The next group meeting will be held on Wednesday, May 13 from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at the Beach Lake Community Center. Participants will continue to explore viable ways to provide access to services and social connections that support healthy aging for older adults living at home.

For more information contact 570/576-0865 or marcianehemiah@yahoo.com.