Collaboration will bring wealth of social service help to LW

SENIOR RESOURCES

by Robann Arshat

member resources

Beginning in January, GRF Member Resources will have a full team of social worker advocates on site to help residents navigate challenges associated with aging.

The GRF Member Resource & Assistance Liaison Office has partnered with Orange County’s Adult Protective Services, Council on Aging, Alzheimer’s Orange County and the Golden Age Foundation (GAF) to provide a comprehensive pool of information, resources and education.

The Council on Aging will offer its popular Friendly Visitor program, which provides companionship and social support to frail and isolated seniors, and the Reconnect program, which reintegrates isolated adults into the community.

Among other programs offered by the Council on Aging are Concierge Care Navigators, which is a skilled team of certified geriatric care managers who can evaluate, plan and coordinate care, and the HICAP program, which offers intermittent free unbiased Medicare counseling.

Also coming to LW will be Alzheimer’s OC, with 40 years of helping people affected by Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias. Its services and programs help those struggling with memory loss. They also help caregivers, families and friends get the education, information, emotional support, resources and care to ease the journey ahead.

Another great addition will be Adult Protective Services (APS). This Social Services agency program is designed to protect the elderly from abuse, neglect or exploitation. It also advocates for seniors who have been harmed or are at risk of harm and can provide crisis intervention.

And finally, LW’s own GAF, a nonprofit volunteer group that has been serving Leisure World for over 48 years, offering a variety of programs especially designed to enhance LW living. Programs include the free loan of mobility aids such as walkers, a document shredding service and emergency-help resources. For more information on the GAF, visit www.goldenagefdn.org.

The goal of this new on-site collaboration, which will be based in Building 5, is to help each resident thrive and successfully age in the comfort and safety of home.