Seniors-helping-seniors group started

Most seniors want to remain independent in their own homes but as age and infirmity increase, many find the daily requirements of taking care of themselves harder and harder.

Helping each other out is not really a new idea, but doing something about it is. A group of seniors on Roanoke Island have formed a group, OBX Village Association, and have developed a website, www.obxvillage.org,  to facilitate their group and to pass along some of the information they have gathered. Though this has not been made public yet (it may be in the future), the group is sharing among themselves the names of contractors and other businesse that they have found helpful, with these enterprises being vetted by the group. The group has also accumulated the names and contact numbers of many county and other governmental groups that serve seniors, local, state and national health resources and more. “It is our intention to advocate for continued improvement in the utilization of these resources,” said member Dick Welch.

The association members are offering each other aid such as sitting with an ill member for a short period of recuperation or to give family and other care givers a break and do such jobs as cooking for them when possible. The association will also respond to members’ needs for small jobs that are burdensome for older seniors, such as changing light bulbs, and other small household or yard chores, going with a member to the doctor to provide help communicating with health personnel and helping remember and interpret to the patient what is said or prescribed, and sometimes advocating for the patient, as well as providing transportation to medical appointments when needed. Members offer services and volunteer to help each other in ways that they can, according to their ability. Members can post a request for these services on the site. Members can post to communicate with those who are interested in such things as book clubs, fishing, sailing, kayaking, attending an event, shopping and more. They are also posting information about an upcoming College of the Albemarle, Patient Advocacy Training.

The association is also focusing on transportation and plans to post information on public transportation, lists of schedules, commercial companies and local organizations which provide transportation. 

The association had a goal of a maximum of 25-26 members, and is almost there now. Though they are keeping their group small, they hope that other senior groups will form in response to their initiative. They have set their dues at $15 per year, paid to Club Express, an online company that manages financial affairs for such groups. It is governed by a board of directors.

Again, the website address is www.obxvillage.org.