By LOIS KINDLE
The South Shore Coalition for Mental Health and Aging, Seniors in Service and the Greater SouthShore Chamber of Commerce have some great news for seniors living south of the Alafia River in Hillsborough County. The area includes southern Riverview, Balm, Gibsonton, Apollo Beach, Ruskin, Sun City Center and Wimauma.
Through a collaborative effort, these three nonprofit organizations are introducing 813-419-4902 as a convenient one-stop-shop for providing a variety of free, nonemergency resources seniors need.
Staffed live Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., and otherwise answered with 24/7 voicemail, the South Shore Senior Hotline will be true to its tagline “One Call Does It All!”
“It’s a sorely needed way for seniors to connect to a treasure trove of resources within the South Shore community, many of which they are now unaware,” said Robin Ingles, Seniors in Service CEO. “One of the biggest needs of older residents is transportation to and from medical appointments with a driver who attends with them andtake notes.”
Seniors in Service is only the third nonprofit organization in the nation to provide this service. It will recruit and provide driver/companion volunteers and provide them with full liability insurance. All are required have the highest level, in-depth background checked, be HIPAA trained and have a clean driving record.
Another need the hotline addresses is providing a place for seniors to call for immediate contact information on local resources, rather than their having to make repeated calls or do endless searches in the hope of finding what they need.
By making one call to this nonemergency hotline, callers can actually talk to someone who can quickly access the information requested. Having a conversation with the hotline volunteer will help them be more precise in their recommendations.
Whether they’re looking for a support group; Veterans service; social service; in-home care provider or neighborhood resource; or simply the address or phone number of a local house of worship, hospital or senior living facility, a friendly hotline volunteer is ready to help.
There’s one more free service the hotline provides. It’s called the Chore Corps, which offers free assistance with minor “handyman-type” services like changing a light bulb in the ceiling or a smoke detector battery, changing an air filter and tasks like walking the dog(s), taking out garbage or picking up mail.
How the hotline started
One of the South Shore Coalition for Mental Health and Aging’s highest priorities through its Connecting the Dots initiative was addressing the transportation needs of older residents and having someone to accompany them to their medical appointments.
When the SouthShore Chamber’s Senior Outreach Committee, which includes representatives of all three founding organizations, met last August/September to discuss the need for a senior hotline, transportation became one of its three focal areas of concern.
Then the hurricanes hit, causing a delay.
In January, the committee resumed its efforts and gained momentum. The South Shore Coalition for Mental Health and Aging, as owner of the phone number, took responsibility for the hotline; Seniors in Service committed to staffing it and recruiting and training volunteers; and the outreach committee pledged to help support and expand the endeavor.
“This is a great example of how the chamber brings together people with the same passion to try and fill the gaps of what’s missing in the community,” said Melanie Davis, its executive director.
The effort has been a labor of love for all involved.
LINDSAY MAY PHOTO
The South Shore Senior Hotline becomes active May 1 for free non-emergency resource referral, transportation and accompaniment to and from medical appointments and handy help with basic handyman-type chores.
“We’re so excited to bring this opportunity to seniors in the community,” said longtime Seniors in Service volunteer and senior outreach committee member Michelle Mason. “Every single day I see or hear about residents who are so in need of help. We believe the hotline will make a huge, lasting impact on the senior population in South Shore.”
Coalition members agree.
“As a home care agency in South Shore, we see how often and how much so many seniors struggle to find trusted resources,” said Janice Bayruns, owner of FirstLight Home Care and coalition vice president. “This hotline will be invaluable in improving the quality of their lives.”
The project is additionally supported by area businesses, law enforcement, civic organizations and other community partners.
For further information, call the South Shore Senior hotline at 813-419-4902. To volunteer for any of the hotline services, call Mason at 813-492-8920.