Seniors' Resource Center

A-LIFT Senior Transportation enters 13th year of service

2012-01-25T10:15:00.000-08:00

Bi-Annual Client Satisfaction Survey reveals pronounced need for service

A-LIFT (Adams County Community Transit), the leading provider of door-through-door transportation for older adults and persons with mobility impairments in Adams County, enters its thirteenth year of service riding the crest of another successful, full-scale satisfaction survey of its clients.

The service offers personal trips, in addition to transportation to grocery stores, congregate meal sites, medical and dental appointments, or adult day programs.

The survey provided clients with the opportunity to offer direct input into the quality and consistency of A-LIFT. This information is summarized and in turn provided to executive leadership for use in developing strategic plans and specific action steps to address trends in service delivery, and to respond to specific complaints, recommendations and expressions of thanks generated by clients.

Results show that 97 percent of the clients who responded to a question asking them to rate overall service quality responded with excellent and good. Service quality includes both the experience with intake in scheduling a ride and utilizing the transportation.

"Individually and collectively, the remarkably high 26 percent survey response rate illustrates first-hand how A-LIFT breaks a pattern of isolation by transporting older adults to communities and activities that augment quality of life," said Howard Yeoman, chairperson of A-LIFT.

And although A-LIFT continues to keep the isolation in check, it is expected to intensify in years to come as the Adams County age 60+ population, according to U.S. 2010 Census, is going to climb from 55,560 in 2010 to 95,301 in 2020.

"This 71 percent increase speaks volumes to the importance of services that allow older adults to remain independent and engaged in the community," said Mr. Yeoman.

When responding to a question assessing the need for driver assistance, such as getting onto and off of the bus, carrying packages or bags, and getting from the bus to the front door or vice versa, 66 percent of respondents indicated that assistance is needed. The attention provided to clients by caring and knowledgeable drivers truly sets A-LIFT apart from other transportation service providers.

Additionally, A-LIFT prides itself on timeliness. In a question asking clients to identify tardy pickups or arrivals, only two percent of respondents indicated that they experience this frequently.

"I appreciate the wonderful service and friendly drivers that have helped me through the last one and a half years since I broke my leg," wrote a client in her survey. "Without them, I don't know how I would have gotten to my doctor appointments."

The transportation comes at no charge to the rider. Though a one-way ride costs around $22, A-LIFT seeks and receives funding to cover most of the cost. Rider donations are an important part of the picture as many grants require donations for match funds. A-LIFT will not deny a client a trip because of failure to contribute to all or part of the cost of any ride. Donation envelopes are available from drivers or in the mail, or you can make an online contribution.

Low-income older adults, who are frail, isolated or members of a minority population are encouraged to use the service. Rides must be prearranged and are available Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

To schedule a ride, call (303) 235-6972 or click here. At least two to three working days advance notice is strongly recommended in making an appointment, although rides can be scheduled two weeks in advance.Rides are provided to Adams County residents who live in Arvada, Aurora, Commerce City, Federal Heights, Northglenn, Thornton, Westminster, and unincorporated urban areas of Adams County.

A-LIFT offers services through funding from the federal Older Americans Act as administered by the Denver Regional Council of Governments, as well as other sources.

2012-01-12T14:07:00.000-08:00

Successful nonprofit leadership: The starts, the risks and the failures

By: Deborah Dale Brackney
Jan 11th, 2012

This article is the first in a series that looks at practices of seasoned nonprofit leaders. The series aims at offering some lessons and wisdom to the next generation of leaders.

The walls at Seniors’ Resource Center (SRC) are lined with beautiful photographs of people they have helped, which can be shared with generations of family members. These pictures tell of lives filled with joy, struggle and stories. Telling the story of these seniors is what the CEO for almost 30 years, John Zabawa, believes is the most important aspect of his job. In 2010, 19,467 individuals across 10 Denver metro counties were directly served by the Seniors’ Resource Center. Since 1982, when SRC was incorporated, this organization has stayed close to its mission: a community partner providing person-focused, coordinated services to enhance independence, dignity and quality of life.

The organization’s growth (it is one of the largest nonprofit organizations in Jefferson County, Colorado) parallels John’s growth as a respected and well-known nonprofit leader. Two accomplishments that highlight John’s career include the development of a business model called “coordinated care” and the completion of a successful capital campaign. The new building, financed by the capital campaign, opened last fall and doubled the space and capacity of the organization to offer adult day and respite services to the elderly. This building allows caretakers to provide a safe place for their family members. The building is on the cutting edge of senior care in the future. The building is the physical representation of the mission, as it is a place where seniors can come to get services that are needed and return to their homes at the end of the day. This allows clients to stay in their homes and remain independent. This facility is also the core of the coordinated care model. Seniors and disabled clients receive auxiliary support such as transportation, in-home care, care management and mental health support that treat the client’s complete needs.

Over coffee, I asked John to reflect on how he and the organization grew as well as what he would want younger leaders to know. John believes the “story” is a series of activities that include the very formation of the organization. In the late 1970s, the organization was housed and funded by county government. Central to the mission is the desire for seniors to live independent lives. John knew the organization needed to be independent as well. When the organization became its own nonprofit, the organization could form and move toward an integrated model. What integration meant to the community and clients was discerned by listening to those served. Over the years, SRC has asked for feedback from the community.

The format included frequent customer satisfaction surveys as well as listening tours with all stakeholders. Caregivers, staff, board members, volunteers, funders, lawmakers and clients themselves were asked to describe what is needed by an organization such as SRC.
This type of assessment and analysis was part of an entire organizational analysis conducted in 2004. From that assessment, the coordinated care model was solidified. Beginning with a vision activity that imagined the needs of clients in 2020, staff, especially the senior members, implemented a process where SRC would be the focal point for delivering or partnering with organizations to help attend to any client need. Recently, a storefront in a local mall was opened to welcome current and potential clients to find resources to make their lives more livable.

John believes that long-term success is in the starts, the risk and even the failures. In an attempt to support the “whole senior,” the organization has sometimes moved ahead of itself. In the early 1990s, SRC correctly identified that the sandwich generation of U.S. workers would increasingly struggle. This generation involves those who are trying to take care of the needs of their children and their aging parents while holding full-time jobs. The demographic was accurate but the response of a workplace program was a little too early for employers to embrace. In 1985, John asked the board to take a big risk with him. He persuaded the board to approve buying a property in Evergreen, Colorado. The “Yellow House” is now the pride of that mountain community, and directions are given by saying, “It is right down the street from the Yellow House.” However, in the mid-80s such a large investment in real estate made board members nervous about the financial stability of the organization. Twenty-five years later, that investment proved to be exactly the right addition for SRC.

Finally, just as John knows that listening to feedback helps improve the organization, he knows that hearing that feedback keeps him humble. Humility is the lesson for all leaders, particularly younger ones. John Zabawa’s lifelong lessons that led to his success-- take the time to forge relationships, respect differing opinions and be empathetic—are qualities that appear in the faces in the pictures that decorate the halls of SRC.

Special thanks to John Zabawa for his time and insight on this story.

Congress finalizes OAA and other FY12 appropriations

2011-12-20T11:46:00.000-08:00

Late last week, Congress approved an appropriations package that will fundgovernment agencies through Sept. 30, 2012, including Older Americans Actfunding. What does it mean for older adults and the aging services network?Read our summary about funding levels for Administration on Aging programs, theSenior Community Service Employment Program, chronic disease and fallsprevention, elder justice, Senior Corps, energy assistance, and more.
Get oursummary | See a tableof funding levels

Ace Hardware Collects Old Holiday Lights for Good Cause

2011-11-28T14:32:00.001-08:00

Ace Hardware stores are again collecting any old-style holiday light strands to benefit Lights For Life, an organization that helps children with cancer and their families. A recycling company disassembles donated lights, and the copper is sold. Lights For Life makes direct donations to families with children who have cancer. Help this cause, and also help your wallet by replacing those electricity-hogging old lights with cheaper-to-burn LED light stands. They’ll even take broken lights and extension cords. The collecting continues through February.

New Census numbers highlight senior poverty

2011-11-28T14:26:00.001-08:00

New poverty figures released this month from the U.S. Census Bureau show alarge increase in the number of poor Americans nationwide, specifically olderadults. The criteria by which poverty is measured were expanded for this studyto include a more accurate reflection of a person’s overall economic needs andvulnerability, including out-of-pocket health care costs.
Learn more| ReadNCOA’s recommendations for improving elder economic security

Social Security launches new online resources

2011-11-28T14:23:00.001-08:00

Social Securitylaunches new online resources

The Social Security Administration (SSA) hasjust announced two new websites for consumers and professionals to learn moreabout its services. Spanish-speaking consumers can now access some of the mostpopular online tools to apply for Medicare and Social Security, as well as theMedicare Part D prescription drug low-income subsidy. For policymakers andanalysts, the Office of Retirement Policy site provides a wealth of informationabout who’s getting and not getting Social Security benefits, and projectionsfor the future.
Check outSSA’s site in Spanish | Visit theOffice of Retirement Policy

John Yeager Named Seniors' Resource Center Volunteer of the Month

2011-11-21T12:46:00.000-08:00

Seniors’ Resource Center (SRC) congratulates John Yeager, an esteemed Volunteer Driver, for being selected as the agency’s November 2011 Volunteer of the Month.

John began volunteering with SRC in May 2006, and to date has provided one-seventh of the 36,000 rides that have been delivered to older adults as part of the Volunteer Driver Services program.

The program transports older adults in need of personal rides (hair salon, bank, classes, volunteering, visiting a loved one, taking a pet to the vet) and occasional medical rides. The trips are provided in the volunteers’ personal vehicles to passengers who are age 50+ and ambulatory (not wheelchair bound, may use walking aids).

John has provided as many as 138 rides in one month, mostly trips for ladies to and from the hair salon, and at year’s end, he will have provided over 5,000 rides to older adults.

“John truly exemplifies the mission of SRC as a community partner providing person-focused, coordinated services to enhance independence, dignity, and quality of life,” said Jaci Hjelmgren, SRC Volunteer Driver Services Manager. “I am forever grateful to him for all of his incredible assistance in allowing us to provide the rides our older adults need.

The entire Volunteer Services department at SRC recognized John at a special celebration on Monday, Nov. 14.

Prior to joining SRC, John spent 25 years in the typewriter repair business. Shortly after retirement, his wife passed away, and he began looking for something to uplift his spirit. He has found a real sense of purpose as a Volunteer Driver, saying, “This is a lovely learning experience.”

In addition to volunteer driving, John also delivered food boxes to older adults via the SRC Volunteer Services Food Distribution program from 2007 through 2010. All told, John has provided over 3,739 hours of service to older adults in the community.

SRC carries 33 years of experience as a non-profit provider of community-based services and care that allow older adults to remain in their own homes and connected the communities that they love. For more information, please call 303.238.8151 or visit www.SRCAging.org.

Xcel Energy Day of Service

2011-09-13T10:28:00.000-07:00

SRC would like to thank a team of 12 Xcel Energy Volunteers for their wonderful work at our agency during last Saturday's 9/11 Day of Service.

The volunteers painted a kitchen, cleaned and watered a garden area, painted patio furniture, cleaned up in front of one of the buildings, and planted six new planters at the entrances to both buildings. In total, over 700 volunteers hit the streets in more than 40 communities.

Disaster Preparedness Volunteers Needed!

2011-09-06T11:45:00.000-07:00

SRC and RSVP of Jefferson County received a special grant through Serve Colorado to provide 130 seniors disaster preparedness kits and information. We need you to help us make it happen! Call 303.235.6907 or click here to learn more.

Albertsons’ 10% Senior Citizen Discount

2011-08-03T12:17:00.001-07:00

Did you know Albertsons offers a 10% discount to all senior citizens (55+)? The first Wednesday of every month, including today, August 3, the grocery chain gives all senior citizens (with an ID, of course) an extra 10% of their total bill. When you combine the discount with sale prices and coupons, you can really cash in. The promotion excludes alcohol, lottery tickets, stamps, prescriptions and dairy products. The discount is valid only on the first Wednesday of each month. Mark your calendars now, so you won’t forget! There are 8 locations in the Denver Metro area.

Active and Older: The Allan and LaVerne Lifestyle

2011-08-03T10:03:00.000-07:00

By Leah Rybak, SRC PR & Marketing Intern

“I’m going to stay active until I can’t do it anymore,” Allan states firmly. His enthusiasm is much like sunshine bursting over the tops of Colorado Rockies— he is bright, excited and proud of his accomplishments.

Allan is a 90-year-old Seniors’ Resource Center (SRC) Care Management and Transportation Services client. Don’t let his age deceive you, though.

Allan, a Seniors’ Resource Center client, does 400 pulls

each day on his row machine.

Allan is in great shape for his age and not only works out daily but still takes care of his yard and shovels snow on cold Colorado days. He also mows his own grass, has a vegetable garden in the summer and loves to do repair work around his home.

What is most astonishing, however, is that each morning Allan wakes up and begins a fitness routine. He rides the stationary bike, walks or jogs on the treadmill, lifts weights, does 500 steps each day on his stair stepper and 400 pulls on the rowing machine.

Allan and his wife, LaVerne, also enjoy walking around the lake close to their home. Allan even jogs the loop around the lake at times and says that he can walk/run two and a half miles in 38 minutes.

LaVerne and Allan have been married for over 63 years. Allan worked for Rocky Flats Plant for over 32 years. LaVerne worked as an auditor until they both retired in 1985, almost 26 years ago, and she tries to be as active as possible in conjunction with her husband’s active lifestyle.

Allan says that he likes working out because he rests better and does not have any cramps or pains after being active for a little bit. LaVerne also believes in the benefits of working out. She has high blood pressure and says that sitting still for prolonged periods of time makes her stiff.

“I just do it and feel good about it,” Allan stated excitedly.

He does carpentry and repair work around the house but due to suggestions from his family, does not climb ladders anymore to reach things.

“I can walk a ladder still, I know I can,” Allan said. “That is just my lifestyle.”

The couple use SRC Transportation Services for a variety of reasons, but most recently they used it to ride to and from their eye doctor. The service provides rides for older adults in Jefferson and Adams Counties, on a donation-basis only, to medical appointments, adult day care centers, grocery stores, and congregate meal sites.

SRC is a 33-year-old, non-profit provider of community-based services and care for seniors. Its service lineup includes intensive Adult Day Care, In-Home Care, Transportation, Care Management, Job Training, Mental Health Outreach, and Volunteer Services, among others.

LaVerne does not like driving at night and has trouble seeing, while Allan is blind in his right eye and can’t see very well with his left.

Allan also has hearing aids and states that his memory is fading. To help with memory loss, Allan listens to books on tape, noting that his favorites are Western stories.

Presently, both Allan and LaVerne are enjoying their retirement, their fitness, and the assistance from SRC.

Social Media 101 for Seniors & Others

2011-08-02T10:13:00.001-07:00

Flatirons Terrace at Golden West, an independent living community for seniors, hosts Social Media 101, a FREE seminar open to the public on Thursday, August 4, 2 to 3:30 p.m. Tech guy Don Walker presents an overview of social media websites and he services they offer, including Twitter, Facebook, chatrooms, Internet dating and others. 930 28th St., Boulder. RSVP to 303-939-0828.

New Seniors’ Resource Center branch offers classes, camaraderie

2011-07-14T11:16:00.000-07:00

By Emile Hallez Williams
Columbine Courier

Tuesday, July 12, 2011

Three months after the Seniors’ Resource Center opened a branch in Southwest Plaza, residents have trickled through its doors at the mall, though the organization expects use to pick up and stabilize as word about the new location spreads.

For services ranging from computer training to yoga instruction, customers don’t necessarily need to make appointments at the small studio, and walk-in traffic is common. Often, clients drop in for the first time, sipping on coffee and talking about available services as spouses or family members shop.

“We want to be a location for people to have their book club or bridge (club). This space is perfect for that,” said public relations director Mark Smiley. “We’re an Internet café. We have coffee and snacks.”

The center, located on the ground level of the mall’s northwest entrance near Dillard’s, is open from 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Wednesday through Friday. It features three computer stations, which seniors can use to help build familiarity with e-mail, learn about online banking, refine skills on numerous programs, or simply browse the Internet.

Also offered are free care-management and Medicare counseling as well as yoga and tai chi classes, for which participants pay small fees. Recently the center made driving-test programs available on its computers, and clients can also be directed to the organization’s other services, including job training.

“A lot of seniors know how to turn the computer on but beyond that have no idea at all,” Smiley said, explaining that most classes cover the basics of computer operation. “If they’re a little more advanced, we can teach them how to pay their bills online.”

On a given day, as many as 15 people might stop in the center. On others, only a couple of clients might make their way through the doors.

At the July 8 yoga class, for example, South Jeffco resident Eula Skupa, 78, who attended for the first time, was treated to a one-on-one session with instructor Dr. Penelope Glavin. Though a regular group of five typically comes to the class, Glavin said, sometimes fewer attend.

“I’m 78, and you’re going to make me feel like I’m 50, right?” Skupa said, joking with Glavin as they prepared to stretch. “I knew there was a yoga class, so I wanted to check it out.”
For more information about Seniors’ Resource Center services, including class schedules, applicable fees and appointments, visit www.srcaging.org/southwestplaza or call 303-979-6173.

eTrain Mobile Computer Training Lab computer class at Southwest Plaza

• Introduction to computers: Aug. 4, 9 a.m. to 11 a.m.
• Introduction to Internet: Aug. 11, 9 a.m. to 11 a.m.
• Introduction to e-mail: Aug. 18, 9 a.m. to 11 a.m.
Space is limited. Call 303-979-6173 to make a reservation.

Three Decades of Dedication: Seniors' Resource Center President/CEO John Zabawa

2011-07-01T13:40:00.000-07:00

The cost of a gallon of gas was $1.25, the term "Internet" was first mentioned, and MTV, actually airing music videos at the time, was launched.

The year was 1981, and it also marked the beginning of President/CEO John Zabawa's tenure with the non-profit Seniors' Resource Center (SRC).

Flash forward 30 years to 2011 and John, and SRC, are both now regarded as a top leaders in the aging services field at local, regional and national levels. Congratulations on this milestone, John!

One Lost Job Away

2011-06-10T12:48:00.000-07:00

U.S. Veteran Kerry Simmons is faced with a frightening balancing act: providing 24/7care for his wife, who suffers from Dementia, while trying to find a job. Potential employers continually ignore his resume despite more than 40 years of electronic and computer experience. The couple is in the midst of a financial crisis.

Do you know an older adult who is living One Away from financial crisis? Tell us about it in the comments below to help us show Congress what economic struggle looks like! You can also join the conversation at www.oneaway.org.

One Scam Away

2011-06-10T12:46:00.000-07:00

When the victim's brother discovered that his sister, who suffers from Alzheimer's disease, was wiring money on a monthly basis to scam artists in Jamaica, it was too late. The majority of her savings was gone. Her economic security has been compromised and she now faces bankruptcy.

Do you know an older adult who is living One Away from financial crisis? Tell us about it in the comments below to help us show Congress what economic struggle looks like! You can also join the conversation at www.oneaway.org.

SRC Opens Location Inside Littleton's Southwest Plaza Mall

2011-06-09T12:14:00.000-07:00

New Site Offers Programming to Seniors Wednesday through Friday

A celebratory ribbon cutting on Thursday, May 26 marked the arrival of Seniors' Resource Center's (SRC) newest location, a storefront inside the Northwest entrance of Southwest Plaza Mall in Littleton.

The new center, the agency's sixth across the metro area and mountain communities, serves as a hub for seniors and caregivers in south Jefferson County to gather, learn and interact. In full operation since March 2011, it is open Wednesday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. (303-979-6173).

"SRC is fully committed to furthering its access points for community-based care, and this location in Southwest Plaza Mall allows us to do just that," said SRC President/CEO John Zabawa.

Classes and programming, including yoga, tai chi, wellness/education courses, computer training, and care management, are offered in order to enrich the lives of older adults. A monthly schedule is available at www.SRCAging.org/southwestplaza.

Jefferson County Commissioner Faye Griffin and State Representative Kathleen Conti joined SRC board members, staff, volunteers, and other community supporters for the ribbon cutting ceremony.

SRC is a 33-year-old, non-profit provider of community-based services and care for seniors. Its service lineup includes intensive Adult Day Care, In-Home Care, Transportation, Care Management, Job Training, Mental Health Outreach, and Volunteer Services, among others.

Including its Southwest Plaza Mall location, SRC operates a Wheat Ridge location, two locations in Evergreen, two locations in Lakewood, and one location in South Denver.

This storefront is a result of multiple partnerships, highlighted by Southwest Plaza Mall's donation of the space to SRC. Additional partners include St. Anthony Health Passport, D' Evelyn High School (students helped to paint inside location), Jefferson Center for Mental Health, Alzheimer's Association, Foothills Park and Recreation Center, Chick-Fil-A (donating lunch for ribbon cutting), and the West Chamber Serving Jefferson County.

Click here for more photos from the ribbon cutting ceremony.

Free Talk on Navigating Medicare

2011-06-06T12:44:00.000-07:00

Azura Living of Lakewood, a senior living community, introduces a program of enlightening, enriching and entertaining events on the second Wednesday of each month. In the first, June 8, 2 p.m. to 3 p.m., John J. Campbell, P.C., talks about “Navigating Medicare,” of interest to seniors, soon-to-be-seniors and families. He discusses the current health-care landscape and provides tips and information on understanding Medicare, eligibility and rights. The program is FREE and open to the public. Refreshments are served. 2395 W. Eastman Pl., Lakewood; 303-730-8000.

Seniors are Living with Less

2011-05-24T10:12:00.000-07:00

Sure, many seniors can live with less. They already are doing so.

While age is not an indicator of need, as Washington Post Columnist Robert Samuelson notes in his “The elderly are better off than advertised” column (click here to read) published in the business section of the Sunday Denver Post, (5/15/11) the challenges of growing older are diverse and significant for millions of American seniors. These challenges represent a test of will, resources and problem solving as the aging process unfolds.

The cultural change that is upon us as a greater percentage of individuals reach the milestone of becoming seniors will affect society as a whole for decades to come. Beginning January 1^st of this year 10,000 Baby Boomers turn 65 years old each day for the next nineteen years! It’s not about extra cable channels, nor is it about median net worth of older Americans, so much as it about extending the compassionate nature for which the U.S. citizenry has long been acclaimed for, so as to promote the continued wholeness of society and respect for our older population. It’s easy to forget or neglect the elderly when budget cuts loom large and programs throughout the U.S. are facing deep cuts. Shortfalls affect seniors at disproportionate rates and that is especially true for the millions of older adults who are not well off, have likely never been well off and struggle every week of the year with providing for their basic needs.

Here at Seniors’ Resource Center (SRC), the Denver metro area’s largest non profit provider of senior services, data regularly illustrates that 85% of our client base is in the low to very moderate income categories. Although the organization served 19,467 individuals in 2010 with direct services and provided 125,606 individuals with information and community based referrals, SRC finds that the demand for the vital services SRC provides is rapidly on the increase. This is due in large part to the diminishing resources available to seniors in our community.

Almost without exception, anyone could wind up in a situation that they could not have foreseen and rely on Social Security to maintain a measure of stability. Contrary to Samuelson’s comment that Medicare comes with ruinous consequences, it must be part of the overall plan to ensure that quality of life will be maintained for millions of our citizens. The elderly do share the burdens of the U.S. economic policy decision making, as they have done for many decades. It remains true that we must share compassionate care of our elders, a direction that each of us is headed toward, sooner or later.

John Zabawa

President/CEO
Seniors’ Resource Center

Get Documents Shredded Free at Shred-a-Thon, 5/14

2011-05-11T20:46:00.000-07:00

Every year we tear up all the old receipts and paperwork from decades ago… and usually burn out a paper shredder in the process. But putting them in the trash is no option in this age of identity theft. This year you can get your papers (up to three legal-sized paper boxes of documents or about three garbage bags worth) shredded for FREE at a Shred-a-thon, Saturday, May 14 sponsored by 9News and the Shred-it Company. Stop by any of four locations between 7 a.m. to noon. Locations are: Arapahoe County Sheriff’s Department, 13101 Broncos Parkway, Centennial; Jefferson County Sheriff’s Department, 200 Jefferson County Parkway, Golden; Aurora Police Department, 14999 East Alameda Drive, Aurora; Westminster Police Department, 4800 W. 92nd Ave., Westminster, and 9NEWS, 500 Speer Boulevard, Denver. While the shredding is FREE, volunteers with Metro Denver Crime Stoppers and local law enforcement agencies will take donations for Crime Stoppers at all five locations. All Shred-it employees are licensed and bonded, and will be supervised by law enforcement officers.

Boehner says 'almost all' policy differences settled; cuts at issue

2011-04-08T11:14:00.000-07:00

By Michael O'Brien - 04/08/11 01:35 PM ET
Source: The Hill Newspaper

House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) said differences on spending cuts continue to prevent Congress from reaching a deal on a funding measure that would prevent a government shutdown set to begin after midnight.

Insisting the GOP wants to avoid a government shutdown, Boehner said "almost all" of the policy differences between the parties have been dealt with, and that differences over the level of cuts are preventing a final deal.

"We're not going to roll over and sell out the American people like it's been done time and again in Washington," Boehner said. "We're damn serious about it."

Democrats hit cable news shows, the Senate floor and social media on Friday with a full-court press, arguing that Republicans were holding up a deal because of a refusal to eliminate a provision on abortion in the House-passed bill that would prevent government funds from going to Planned Parenthood.

Asked if the Planned Parenthood funding was a problem, Boehner said almost all of the policy issues had been addressed. Separately, the Susan B. Anthony List, which opposes abortion rights, said Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio), the chairman of the Republican Study Committee, would take part in a 3 p.m. press call arguing that President Obama would be to blame for a shutdown because of an insistence on protecting Planned Parenthood.

"The president has singled out Planned Parenthood, a significant financial and political supporter, for special attention and protection," said Marjorie Dannenfelser, president of the SBA List. "When is the question going to be asked of President Obama and Sen. Harry Reid, 'Why is it reasonable to shut down the government in order to protect Planned Parenthood?' "

Boehner spoke after a meeting with the House GOP conference, which has pressured Republican leaders to win as high a level of cuts as possible to 2011 spending.

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) on Friday said the sides had reached an agreement to cut spending by $38 billion, about $5 billion higher than what the White House and Democrats had offered earlier this week. The House approved a measure earlier this year that cuts spending by $61 billion.

Reid insisted Friday that the Planned Parenthood provision is holding up a deal.

"Everything has been resolved, everything," Reid said. "It's an ideological battle that has nothing to do with the fiscal integrity of this country. It has everything to do with the ideology on that other side of the Capitol."

Legislation approved by the House would eliminate funding for all of Title X, which does not pay for abortions. Title X last year received $317 million, with $75 million of those funds going to Planned Parenthood affiliates.

With less than 12 hours to go before a shutdown, Boehner suggested the GOP could agree to a short-term measure to keep the government funded if there is an agreement on a funding measure for the rest of the fiscal year.

Lawmakers might need a 48- or 72-hour funding measure to keep the government operating while lawmakers discuss an agreement negotiated by the White House and congressional leaders with their members.

The two sides said they had made progress after a Thursday night meeting at the White House.

— This story was posted at 1:35 p.m. and updated at 1:52 p.m.

Energy Savers Workshops in April

2011-04-05T13:00:00.001-07:00

Summer is approaching — beat the heat without breaking the bank. Come to a FREE Energy Savers workshop and learn low-cost energy-saving tips. The workshop is directed to those 55+, but all ages are welcome to attend. Receive planning tools, printed material on cutting energy use, and a FREE compact fluorescent light bulb. Learn about programs for low-income energy assistance, subsidized home energy audits, weatherization, and insulation programs. Here’s the April schedule: April 7 — 10 a.m. Mulroy Senior Center, 3550 W. 13th Ave., Denver. April 9 — 2 p.m. Standley Lake Library, 8485 Kipling St., Arvada. April 10 — 10:30 a.m. St. Andrew United Methodist Church, 9203 S. University Blvd., Highlands Ranch. April 12 — 5 p.m. Wheat Ridge Library, 5475 W. 32nd Ave., Wheat Ridge. April 13 — 7 p.m. Columbine Library, 7706 W. Bowles Ave., Littleton. April 14 — 12:45 p.m. Clements Community Center, 16th & Yarrow, Lakewood. April 14 — 5 p.m. Edgewater Library, 5843 W. 25th Ave., Edgewater. April 18 — 10 a.m. Longmont Senior Center, 910 Longs Peak Ave., Longmont. April 19 — 1 p.m. The Link Recreation Center, 1295 South Reed St., Lakewood. April 20 — 11:30 a.m. DIA Terminal, City Conference Room, Level 6. April 20 — 7 p.m. Evergreen Library, 5000 highway 73, Evergreen. April 21 – 7 p.m. Arvada Library, 7525 W. 57th Ave., Arvada. April 27 — 6:30 p.m. Belmar Library, 555 S. Alison Pkwy., Lakewood. April 28 — 6:30 p.m. Lakewood Library, 10200 W. 20th Ave., Lakewood. For more information or to register, go here and click on Energy Savers.

Interview with Don Sikkema for NCOA "One Away" Campaign

2011-03-24T13:08:00.001-07:00

Today SRC interviewed Arvada Senior Liaison Police Officer, Don Sikkema, about elderly economic security and over the phone money scams that seniors can fall victim to.

Thank you so much Officer Sikkema for your help!

Seniors' Resource Center to Open New Southwest Plaza Site this Month

2011-03-01T14:31:00.000-08:00

By: Leah Rybak, SRC Intern

Local high school students recently volunteered to help paint and prepare the new Southwest Plaza site for its March 2011 opening.

Denver, CO - March 1, 2011 - Seniors' Resource Center (SRC) is pleased to announce a new site at the Southwest Plaza mall in Littleton that will serve seniors in south Jefferson County.

This center will serve as a hub for seniors and caregivers to gather, learn, and interact. Programming and classes will be offered in order to enrich the lives of older adults.

Specific services that will be offered are:

* Care Management Services

* Caregiver Support

* Wellness & Education Courses

* Managing Health Issues

* Medicare Part D Assistance

* Benefits Checkup

* Reducing Stress & Boosting

* Energy Courses

* Senior Computer Lab

* Energy Savers Workshops

* Making Sense of Your Finances

* AARP driver training courses

* Interactive RTD Kiosk

* Plus many more senior services!

"We are fully committed to furthering our access points for community-based care, and this location in Southwest Plaza mall allows us to do just that," said SRC President/CEO John Zabawa. "I am overjoyed to be opening up this new site and excited to see it grow in the future."

SRC currently provides services such as Transportation, Adult Day & Respite Services, In-Home Care Services, mental health outreach, Job Training Services, Volunteer opportunities and Care Management Services in Adams, Arapahoe, Boulder, Broomfield, Clear Creek, Denver, Douglas, Gilpin, Jefferson and Park counties.

These services are currently provided through a Wheat Ridge location, two locations in Evergreen, two locations in Lakewood and one location in south Denver. The new location in south Jefferson County will only add to SRC's services and locations.

SRC, a leading non-profit provider of person-focused, coordinated services for seniors throughout the Denver metro area, ensures quality of life through a constellation of services, information, advocacy, and leadership to meet the needs of the community enabling individuals to age in their own homes.

About Southwest Plaza

Southwest Plaza features Dillard's, Macy's, JCPenney, Sears, Dick's Sporting Goods, Borders Books-Music- Café and over 150 specialty retail, dining, and entertainment options.

Southwest Plaza is located at 8501 West Bowles Ave, Suite 2A-483 in Littleton, Colorado. It is open Monday-Saturday from 10:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. and Sunday from 11:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. For any questions about Southwest Plaza, please call: (303) 973-5300 or go to http://www.southwestplaza.com/.

# # #

To volunteer, make a contribution, or inquire about a service, call SRC at (303) 238-8151 in metro Denver or (303) 674-2843 in the Evergreen/foothills area. Visit SRC online at www.SRCAging.org.

SRC Blogging On: Interns and National Advocacy Campaigns

2011-02-22T15:30:00.000-08:00

Seniors’ Resource Center (SRC) is stoked to be one of 14 senior service organizations across the country selected to take part in the National Council on Aging’s (NCOA) video advocacy campaign, One Away.

The campaign will use video and online advocacy to raise awareness of the economic struggle facing many older adults. Economic security means seniors are able to make ends meet, cover basic needs, afford health care, and save enough to be ready to weather an emergency.

Millions of older Americans are one lost job, one health problem, one bad break away from an economic crisis. The One Away video campaign seeks to give seniors a voice and show their ability to make a difference in their own lives, with the assistance of person-focused, coordinated services.

NCOA is a nonprofit service and advocacy organization headquartered in Washington, D.C. NCOA is a national voice for older Americans - especially those who are vulnerable and disadvantaged- and the community organizations that serve them.

SRC will be interviewing local seniors about their own experiences and producing a local video that will be about ten minutes in length. The 32-year-old non-profit agency will also be submitting footage to NCOA to be used in a series of videos that will be released nationally.

With staffers in the SRC Public Relations & Marketing Department possessing limited expertise in documentary filmmaking, the high-profile campaign lent the perfect opportunity to partner with local universities to bring in film interns.

With a quality, established internship program, currently flanked by both Special Events and Public Relations & Marketing interns, SRC added two film students to round out the crew.

And when I announced my inevitable transformation into a human prop until further notice, due to our interns now outnumbering the department’s full-time staff, I was only 77 percent serious.

The good news is they walk away with invaluable experience (and a few with college credit), enjoy a delicious assortment of snacks and Izze sparkling juice beverages, and shouldn’t have to worry about their beds promoting restless evenings, since they’re local.

I mention rest only because I slept on an air mattress for over six months during my Valero Alamo Bowl internship. I couldn’t slot my bed frame into the car for the drive down to San Antonio, and looking back probably should have coughed up the money for a U-Haul. It’s still a running joke with bowl staffers.

Each intern will play a key role in the project, whether it’s producing and shooting the videos, or promoting the campaign through social media outlets.

SRC filmed its first subject on Friday, Jan. 21, and will continue interviewing seniors throughout the Denver Metro Area about their own experiences in the coming months.

The end result will be a local video that will be about ten minutes in length, as well as a series of videos that will be released nationally. Stay tuned for updates on the campaign, as SRC is planning a local event to premier the videos.

For more information on services, please call (303) 238-8151 or visit www.SRCAging.org.

Brandon Edelman is the Public Relations & Marketing Coordinator for the non-profit Seniors’ Resource Center in Denver. In this capacity, Brandon manages content on the agency’s website and social media outlets, coordinates marketing efforts, writes press releases, and assists in the development of marketing collateral and advertisements. A 2006 graduate of the University of Denver, he also holds a position with Major League Soccer’s 2010 MLS Cup Champion Colorado Rapids on its promotional/in-game entertainment team. Prior to these roles, Brandon spent one year as a beat writer covering the Rapids for Top Drawer Soccer, one bowl season as Media Relations Intern for the Valero Alamo Bowl in San Antonio, TX, and six months interning at both The Aurora Sentinel newspaper and Mile High Sports Magazine.

SRC New Southwest Plaza Site

2011-02-22T09:08:00.000-08:00

Seniors' Resource Center has a new Southwest Plaza site set to open in March! Recently, a group of high school girls came to volunteer to re-paint the site! We are so grateful for their help! Check out more of our pictures on Flickr at SRC New Southwest Plaza Site: Remodeling!

Thanks for your support!

Corinne Sherrick Retires After 40 Years in Human Services Field

2011-01-27T14:57:00.000-08:00

By Leah Rybak and Lauren Kelly
SRC Public Relations & Marketing Interns

Corinne Sherrick does not wear a black mask, nor will she retire from the Seniors’ Resource Center (SRC) by riding off into the sunset on a white horse named Silver. Sherrick will, however, retire and put away her title as the Lone Ranger, after 13 years of working at SRC.

Instead of wearing a black mask, Sherrick wears a smile during her last few days at SRC. Instead of shouting “Hi-ho, Silver, away!” as she prepares to retire, she still greets everyone in the hallway with “Hi sweetheart!” Sherrick has dedicated her career to righting injustices, not in the Old American West like the original Lone Ranger, but in the field of human services.

Sherrick will hand over the reigns, so to speak, as SRC’s Job Training Services Program manager, where she helped seniors reenter the work field.

“In this department I wore 12 to 15 hats,” Sherrick said. “Before it was just job training, just an employment segment, but that is not the way life is. You have to look at the whole picture to get results. Someone can’t get a job if they don’t have teeth or dentures. Someone can’t get a job if they can’t see. Someone can’t go to an interview if they don’t have decent clothes. So, whatever the need was I did the best I could to fulfill that.”

Sherrick has been doing this kind of work for 40 years. She attended the University of Colorado extension in downtown Denver, where she hoped to launch a career in social services. Since the University of Colorado, Sherrick has worked in a number of different places and with many different people. Finally, after years of working and a short “boring” retirement, Sherrick began looking for a job, and applied at SRC.

She was initially turned down for being overqualified, but SRC quickly found a place for her.

“They told me, ‘Oh you’re just going to be working with seniors.’ They didn’t tell me it was a job training program,” Sherrick said. “When I came in they gave me these government manuals and I read for 2 weeks. I already knew most of it! Then, they gave me an office and that was the end of it.”

Her years at SRC have been full of joy, great personal relationships and helping untold numbers of seniors’ improve their quality of life and laugh a little.

“I have wonderful people here,” she said. “The gratitude our seniors have for the organization, not for me, but for what is done for them, they are so appreciative, so grateful for what happens for them and when you see that it just makes you feel great, it really does.”

Just one example of the gratitude her clients show, are the words in a letter from a man who had been provided with hearing aids after being without the ability to hear for six to eight years.

“Your generosity is going to open new doors after doors for me,” the man wrote. “God bless! I realize now that my circumstances and my opportunities in life are immeasurable. The world has just opened up. And, getting older is just a phrase – Amen. Thank you for a new life and a new attitude.”

Sherrick described many of her clients as friends, as she has worked with a number of them for many years and they continue to check back in with her. Additionally, Sherrick explained that working in human services has never made her a millionaire, but she truly loved her job.

“Human services is a very specialized field. It starts in the heart, it starts here. If you haven’t got it you’re not going to reach out to anyone. I really believe it,” Sherrick said. “There’s nothing more gratifying than doing what you do, because you’re meeting the needs of others and recognizing how important life is. It brings you back down to earth.”

After leaving SRC, Sherrick plans to take a little bit of time off to “live a little” and then return to her love, human services.

“I have loved everything about the organization,” Sherrick said. “Everyone in this place has meant something to me and working here has been quite the adventure. It has been truly beautiful and a time I will never forget.”

Sherrick will be deeply missed by the staff, clients and everyone here at SRC.

Margeuerite Salazar, Regional Director of The Department of Health and Human Services, Tours SRC

2011-01-20T13:42:00.000-08:00

Ms. Salazar toured the SRC Adult Day & Respite Services program on Thursday, Jan. 20. In her current position as Regional Director, she oversees Colorado, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Utah and Wyoming.

Seniors’ Resource Center Delivers Food, Smiles to Mountain-Area Seniors

2010-12-17T08:53:00.000-08:00

Seniors’ Resource Center-Evergreen volunteers teamed up with eighth-grade students from the Rocky Mountain Academy of Evergreen on Dec. 15 to deliver 125 holiday food baskets to mountain-area older adults.

The baskets provided a complete meal, including chicken, fresh produce and dessert, as well as non-perishable food, to supplement the winter nutritional needs of seniors.

Volunteers also personally drove food baskets to the homes of older adults living independently in Evergreen while the students hand-delivered 70 additional baskets to residents of Green Ridge Meadow Apartments.

“The volunteers’ generosity in donating their time and efforts was matched by the warm-hearted Evergreen and Conifer community members who stepped up to help others during a time of need,” said Jane Weinberger, Director of SRC-Evergreen.

In addition to filling multiple food bins to the brim with non-perishable items, residents also made monetary contributions and donated grocery store gift certificates to purchase food.

A private non-profit agency, Seniors’ Resource Center provides person-focused, coordinated services to enhance independence, dignity and quality of life for older adults.

SRC-Evergreen, lovingly known as the Yellow House, offers Adult Day & Respite Services, In-Home Care, Transportation, Care Management, Volunteer Services, Extension Services for individuals with developmental disabilities, the Yellow House Café, Meals on Wheels, and referrals to community partners.

The holiday food baskets, which also included toiletries, were assembled and decorated by SRC volunteers. Handmade Christmas cards added a joyous and colorful finishing touch.

“I sure appreciate Seniors’ Resource Center for doing this for us, and especially the school kids,” said one apartment resident. “For seniors, the way the economy is, every little bit helps, and we’re very, very thankful for it.”

Groups of two to three students each loaded one food box at a time into a shopping cart and transported it to their assigned apartment number. The smiles and social interaction provided by the teenagers is also a special part of the project.

“This is awesome,” said one eighth grade student, as he loaded a chicken into his basket.

Seniors’ Resource Center has sponsored the holiday food basket program since the agency’s inception in 1978.

SRC-Evergreen Volunteer Services Coordinator Chris Schaefer oversaw the project from beginning to end. She said, “I’m proud to be part of a community that unites to rally around the needs of older adults every year for this project, especially with the current harsh economic realities. I can think of no better way to kick-off the Holiday season each year.”

For more information about services, the holiday food basket program, special funding, or to volunteer, please call (303) 238-8151 in the Denver metro area, (303) 674-2843 in the foothills and mountain areas to the west, or visit www.SRCAging.org.

Seniors’ Resource Center would like to thank the following mountain-area businesses and organizations for their generous support and assistance:

Bank of America, Christ the King Church, Cub Scout Pack 50, Curves of Conifer, EDS Waste, Evergreen Elks Lodge, Evergreen Montessori School, Fontana Family Chiropractic, Foothills Chapter of the National Charity League, Forest Heights Lodge, Fuller Sotheby’s International Realty, Jitter Juice, King Soopers, Mutual of Omaha Bank, Rocky Mountain Academy, Rocky Mountain Village Estates, Safeway, Two Men and a Truck, Wal-Mart, Wendy’s

New Adult Day Facility Construction in Photos

2010-12-10T11:51:00.001-08:00

Check out these construction photos, shot from November through December 10, at SRC's central site!

New Elder Abuse Unit

2010-11-12T13:25:00.000-08:00

SRC Blogging On: Cavities and 60, 61 and 101

2010-10-13T14:30:00.001-07:00

Brandon Edelman is the Public Relations & Marketing Coordinator for the non-profit Seniors’ Resource Center in Denver. In this capacity, Brandon manages content on the agency’s website and social media outlets, coordinates marketing efforts, writes press releases, and assists in the development of marketing collateral and advertisements. A 2006 graduate of the University of Denver, he also holds a position with Major League Soccer’s Colorado Rapids on its promotional/game entertainment team. Prior to these roles, Brandon spent one year as a beat writer covering the Rapids for Top Drawer Soccer, one bowl season as Media Relations Intern for the Valero Alamo Bowl in San Antonio, TX, and six months interning at both The Aurora Sentinel newspaper and Mile High Sports Magazine.

It is official: my 26.75-year cavity-less streak is over. My mouth didn’t take the news well at all, and of course my wallet bore the brunt of the blow.

With my entire childhood consumed in headgear, rubber bands, retainers, braces, and the Orthodontist, trips to the Dentist are always by comparison smooth sailing. Even having this “tiny” cavity filled was practically a joy.

But it just didn’t seem right for it to end like this (although the opinions of those familiar with my light Sour Patch Kids obsession probably differ).

I’m not quite to the point of checking into dentures, but the pain of not being able to brag to friends and family after each appointment lingers.

And while my molar melee is obviously newsworthy, there are three initiatives on the horizon that I can safely say would impact us all in a far greater way.

The Toxic Trio: Amendments 60 and 61, and Proposition 101. If approved by voters Nov. 2, they would spell disaster for our schools, our local governments, our state, and for many non-profits, like Seniors’ Resource Center (SRC).

The projected impact of 60, 61, and 101 would reduce the SRC operating budget by 20%, and restrict the services we provide. For example, these cuts would result in a loss of 46,250 - 53,500 transportation trips to medical appointments, adult day centers, congregate meal centers, and grocery stores for well over 4,200 people. It would also mean 12,250 - 17,500 fewer hours of Adult Day and Respite services for 64 - 120 people in a range of services.

Ultimately, these budget cuts would restrict our ability to continue providing for the community, and would cut services for well over 5,500 people. Amendments 60, 61, and Proposition 101 would dramatically restrict SRC’s ability to continue serving the community and limit our ability to help Colorado seniors maintain independence.

Statewide, they will force dramatic cuts from essential public services like K-12 education, roads and bridges, public safety, higher education, Medicaid, emergency medical services, and non-profits. If they pass, they would create a voter approved recession and an unprecedented $4.2 billion deficit at the state and local level. They would result in increased utility and public service fees and create an additional loss of 73,000 jobs.

These initiatives could mean the elimination of Senior Fraud Protection Programs, and the elimination of half of all senior transportation funding. It also means reduction in library hours and permanent library closures, as well as reduced emergency medical services including ambulance services and fire protection.

There would be reduced state snow removal by potentially 33%, and reduced snow removal operations to only major arterial roadways. It would result in reduced private non-profit services to the senior community, increased airline fees, energy and water bills.

Vote NO so Colorado can maintain crucial services provided by state and local government. For more information, please visit http://www.srcaging.org/voteno.

SRC Adult Day Program Temporarily Relocates in Advance of $8.7 Million Expansion Plans

2010-09-28T09:04:00.000-07:00

The Seniors' Resource Center (SRC) Adult Day & Respite Services Program has temporarily relocated to 4165 Eaton St. in Wheat Ridge in advance of the agency's $8.7 Million Expansion and Renovation plans.

The transitory site is the sister building to the agency's current facility at 3227 Chase St. in Wheat Ridge and sits only one mile away to the north. Adult Day staff members worked tirelessly over the past two weeks to prepare for the move and the Sept. 27 arrival of the program's participants.

Construction on a new, 17,000 square-foot Adult Day building is underway at the agency's current central site, prompting the relocation. When complete, this one-of-a-kind design built facility will double capacity for Adult Day & Respite Services for SRC seniors and their caregivers - a growing critical need in the metro area aimed at helping seniors remain as independent for as long as possible.

Among the many features of the new building, including a dementia specific art therapy room and a beauty shop/massage room, there will be a courtyard memory garden, which is a secure area to provide a relaxing spot for SRC's Alzheimer's clients.

On Sept. 27, staff members welcomed the participants to the temporary site with smiles and a goody bag with treats. The program, which offers care for adults with memory loss, Parkinson's disease, stroke, developmental disabilities, head injuries and other chronic illnesses, still features the highest levels of care and quality that caregivers and their loved ones have come to expect.

(The entrance for caregivers, participants and bus drivers at the temporary Adult Day site (formerly Our Lady of the Rosary Academy) is located on the west side of the building in the alley and not in front of the building on Eaton St. To access this pickup/dropoff area, please drive north through the alley off 41st Avenue, in between Eaton and Fenton Streets. If you have any questions, please call 303.235.6961.)

The services offered within the Adult Day program include daily planned activity periods, nutritious breakfast and lunch, wellness checks and assistance with medication, staff assistance with activities of daily living and family and caregiver support.

SRC has raised 63 percent ($5,521,622) of its $8.7 million Capital Campaign goal to construct the new building, and also renovate its current facility, an 80-year-old former elementary school.

The agency launched the Capital Campaign in 2006 as its board of directors began soliciting major gifts and identifying community leaders and board members to serve on a Capital Campaign Cabinet.

SRC, a 32-year-old leading non-profit provider of person-focused, coordinated services for seniors, ensures quality of life through a constellation of services, information, advocacy, and leadership to meet the needs of the community enabling individuals to age in their own homes.

Overall, SRC provided direct services to 18,655 individuals in Adams, Arapahoe, Broomfield, Boulder, Clear Creek, Denver, Douglas, Gilpin, Jefferson and Park counties in 2009.

To volunteer, make a contribution, or inquire about a service, call SRC at (303) 238-8151 in metro Denver or (303) 674-2843 in the Evergreen/foothills area. Visit SRC online at www.SRCAging.org.

Why Does SRC Oppose Proposition 101 and Amendments 60 and 61?

2010-09-22T11:42:00.000-07:00

9th Annual Art from the Heart Raises $41,000 for Older Adults

2010-09-13T15:19:00.000-07:00

Guests at Seniors’ Resource Center’s (SRC) 9th Annual Art from the Heart fundraiser at the Hudson Gardens & Event Center in Littleton found it difficult to sit still, and with good reason.

The Hazel Miller Band, featuring a blend of blues, classic rhythm, jazz, gospel and pop, capped off the Aug. 28 event with a warm and powerful performance.

The evening, with FOX 31 News Reporter Julie Hayden as master of ceremonies, also included a pre-event reception, a special meal and both a fabulous silent and live auction. A total of $41,000 was raised to help seniors remain independent and in their own homes. Items in both auctions included artwork, sports memorabilia and tickets, and jewelry, among others.

“SRC is the light at the end of the tunnel for so many families affected by illness or injury requiring more intensive care of a loved one,” said SRC President/CEO John Zabawa. “In the past four years SRC has pushed through challenging economic times to continue to provide award-winning care services to families in the metro Denver area.”

SRC, a 32-year-old leading non-profit provider of person-focused, coordinated services for seniors, ensures quality of life through a constellation of services, information, advocacy, and leadership to meet the needs of the community enabling individuals to age in their own homes.

The talented Hazel Miller, who has regularly performed with Big Head Todd and the Monsters and opened for popular artists such as Mel Torme, James Brown, Temptations, Earl Klugh, and Bob James, has been a sought after performer in Colorado for the past 24 years.

She began her career 38 years ago in Louisville, Kentucky, and has coveted many awards, including the 2002 Independent Music Award for Best Blues/R&B Performer and 5280 Magazine People’s Choice for Best Performer 2004 and 2005, among others.

Hazel, who also kindly toured SRC and performed for its Adult Day participants one week before the event, said, “I am impressed with the high level of care and compassion shown by the staff.”

Prior to dinner, guests enjoyed refreshments and took part in the silent auction as they enjoyed the musical stylings of local blues artist David Booker. Mr. Booker plays rousing, listenable, and danceable jazz, blues, rock, swing, 50s rock ‘n’ roll, 60s R&B, and all other strains of Americana.

Proceeds from the evening will also benefit SRC’s $8.7 million Capital Campaign to construct a brand-new, 17,000 square-foot facility specifically for its Adult Day program. This one-of-a-kind design built facility will double capacity for Adult Day & Respite Services for SRC seniors and their caregivers – a growing critical need in the metro area aimed at helping seniors remain as independent for as long as possible.

With construction starting in the coming weeks, the excitement at the agency is palpable, and more importantly it is a significant piece of the funding puzzle needed to continue to achieve its mission of enhancing the independence, dignity and quality of life of seniors.

“With our new facility, we will definitely continue to serve the community better and we look forward to continued support and partnership in the future,” said Mr. Zabawa.

Overall, SRC provided direct services to 18,655 individuals in Adams, Arapahoe, Broomfield, Boulder, Clear Creek, Denver, Douglas, Gilpin, Jefferson and Park counties in 2009.

To learn more about SRC programs or to inquire about volunteering, dial (303) 238-8151 or visit www.SRCAging.org.

2010 Legislative BBQ

2010-09-09T14:18:00.000-07:00

Sponsored by Seniors’ Resource Center, Developmental Disabilities Resource Center, Jefferson Center for Mental Health and Family Tree, Inc., this event provided an opportunity to meet over free BBQ food and hear candidates for public office address our needs. More than 450 supporters attended the Sept. 7 event.

Jeffco RSVP Collects New Children’s Books for Jefferson County Public Library

2010-08-26T07:22:00.000-07:00

Jeffco RSVP (Retired and Senior Volunteer Program) is hosting a book drive through September 30 to benefit the Jefferson County Public Library’s Traveling Children’s Library and other Outreach programs. Senior volunteers will collect new children’s books and donations and provide them to the library to support literacy outreach to pre-school aged children throughout Jefferson County.

Book donations can be dropped off at the RSVP office at Seniors’ Resource Center, 3227 Chase Street in Wheat Ridge. Supporters are also encouraged to write checks to the Jefferson County Library Foundation, with “RSVP” in the memo line.

In its eighth year of operation, JCPL’s Traveling Children’s Library (TCL) enhances the early literacy experiences of pre-school aged children by delivering books and programs to their Head Start and early learning classrooms. During the 2009-2010 school year, the TCL visited 80 Head Start and pre-school classrooms each month, reaching more than 1,400 children.

Through a monthly bilingual story-time visit by the Traveling Children’s Librarian, and a deposit of books in both English and Spanish, the TCL provides children, most of who are socio-economically challenged and/or reside in at-risk neighborhoods, with greater exposure to books and the joy of reading. At the end of the school year, children are given books of their own to take home. The Traveling Children’s Library is funded by the Jefferson County Library Foundation. For more information, please visit friendsofjcpl.org/tcl.html.

Supporters are encouraged to donate new, popular book titles, including the classic children’s books of Dr. Seuss, the popular Maisy series by Lucy Cousins, If you Give a Mouse a Cookie by Laura Numeroff, Brown Bear, Brown Bear by Bill Martin and the bedtime favorite Goodnight Moon by Margaret Wise Brown. Other popular titles include classics like Ludwig Bemelman’s Madeline, Watty Piper’s The Little Engine That Could, and Maurice Sendak’s Where The Wild Things Are. Many of these titles are also available in Spanish, and are of great help to the library’s Outreach Programs.

“We are honored to support Jefferson County Public Library through this book drive,” said Clayton Moore, Program Manager for Jeffco RSVP. “Ensuring a brighter future for youth is one of the highest priorities of National Service Programs like RSVP. Our volunteers and supporters are extremely generous and they share our passion for fostering children’s literacy.”

Studies show that on average, children in economically challenged communities have only one or two age-appropriate books in their homes, while 61% of low-income families have no age-appropriate books for their children. Programs like Jefferson County Public Library’s Traveling Children’s Library help fill this need, jump-starting imaginations and encouraging families to read together.

“We applaud RSVP for supporting our early literacy outreach efforts, said Cindy Phillips, JCPL’s Online and Outreach Library Manager. “There is overwhelming academic consensus that the earliest years of life, from birth to age five, are the time when a child’s brain is undergoing the most growth and development. Reading to a child during this critical time, specifically during the preschool years, sets the stage for future success in reading and education.”

The RSVP Book Drive is organized in support of “Let’s Read, Let’s Move,” a nationwide service initiative led by the Corporation for National and Community Service in collaboration with First Lady Michelle Obama and five federal agencies, including the U.S. Department of Education.

Jeffco RSVP Distributes School Supplies to Tutors and Students

2010-08-26T07:19:00.000-07:00

Jeffco RSVP (Retired and Senior Volunteer Program) distributed more than $1,500 worth of school supplies to volunteer tutors, Jefferson County Schools, and their students this week.

The donations were made possible thanks to a generous grant from the Schlessman Family Foundation, a charitable foundation formed in 1957 by Gerald L. and Florence M. Schlessman to benefit human services, civic and community projects.

The grant supports RSVP’s ongoing efforts to support community members who are working to boost adult and child literacy.

“During the past year, more than one hundred senior volunteer tutors and mentors worked with fifteen non-profit organizations and educational institutions to provide one-on-one and small group instruction for school-aged children and struggling adults to help them improve academic, reading and language skills,” said RSVP Program Manager Clayton Moore.

“The least we can do as the champions for these dedicated volunteers is to help provide them with the resources they need to make a real difference in the lives of others.”

RSVP staff also collaborated with the community’s local Super Target store on Kipling Street in Wheat Ridge. This corporate partner generously allowed RSVP to purchase school supplies at a discount, as well as making a donation to the educational project.

More than a dozen organizations received donations of crayons, composition books, calculators and other vital supplies. Beneficiaries included the Jefferson County Schools Office of Dropout Recovery and Prevention, Brady Exploration School, TNT Tutoring, the English as a Second Language program at Arvada United Methodist Church and the Jefferson County Library’s Traveling Children’s Library, sponsored by the Jefferson County Library Foundation.

Volunteering up, but help still needed in Jefferson County

2010-08-09T10:32:00.000-07:00

By Jillian Mukavetz
RSVP Program Coordinator

Even during tough times in America, volunteerism is up. Even though the need of communities is great, citizens are stepping up to help their neighbors. What part will you play in bettering your community? How can you apply your skills to help meet real needs in the community?

According to a new study by the Corporation for National and Community Service, last year Americans contributed more than ever before; over 8 billion hours of service. This increase, the largest boom in volunteerism since 2003, is also happening locally. Fort Collins and Boulder are ranked among the top ten cities by volunteer rate nationwide. Locally, RSVP of JeffersonCounty has seen a 5 percent increase over last year in volunteer hours contributed by senior volunteers. Since the beginning of the year, RSVP volunteers have contributed over 90,000 hours of service.

Why are so many people giving back to their community? Research says one reason is that volunteering is good for your health.

The new Do Good Live Well study by UnitedHealthCare found that people who volunteer experience better mental, physical and emotional well-being as a direct result of their service to others. Those who volunteered experienced greater independence, more satisfaction with their lives, a sense of meaning and purpose, and a perceived control over their health. Volunteers say they feel that their immune system, energy, strength and physical stamina all benefit from their volunteer service.

Help people, feel better, and live longer. It's hard to find a much better deal.

That's why Jeffco RSVP works to support people who are 55 or better who are looking to enrich their lives and help others by volunteering. RSVP is a national service program that engages the skills, talents and experience of nearly half a million Americans to meet a wide range of community challenges and needs. Membership is free, and personalized counseling is available to help match older adults with the right volunteer opportunities to fit their skills and interests. More than 200 volunteer jobs are available in over 75 different non-profit organizations throughout Jefferson County.

What can you do to help others? By joining RSVP, volunteers get the chance to do just about anything you can imagine.

For nearly 40 years, volunteers have been making a difference in communities through Jeffco RSVP, which is sponsored by Seniors' Resource Center, a multi-service senior service agency. Last year alone, nearly 1,000 volunteers RSVP contributed over 160,000 hours of service. Volunteers positively impacted a vast range of local programs including adult and child literacy efforts, cultural and artistic sites, senior assistance, nutrition services, environmental education, emergency preparedness, community service groups, and other human needs.

Jefferson County RSVP volunteers serve as docents at cultural centers, assist clients at food banks and congregate meal sites, deliver meals to seniors, help out with home repairs, provide intergenerational mentoring and tutoring, support police and law enforcement, and help protect parks, animals and historic sites.

RSVP volunteers help change the world for the better, improving their own lives by uplifting others. If you are 55 and better and would like to explore the wide world of volunteering, please call Kathy at RSVP, 303-235-6946, email knovoselac@srcaging.org, or visit www.srcaging.org/jeffcoRSVP for more information.

SRC Faces of Care: Linda Rowlison

2010-08-02T14:14:00.000-07:00

By Lauren Kelly
Intern, Public Relations & Marketing

Imagine a job where hours of the day are spent laughing, crying and talking while painting watercolors, doing Tai Chi or participating in pet therapy. Well, for Linda Rowlison, an Adult Day & Respite Services staff member at Seniors’ Resource Center, this dream is a reality. But don’t be fooled, because there is a lot more to her job than paint brushes and puppies.

“Every day is something different,” Rowlison says. “It’s never boring.”

A typical day for Rowlison includes working with caregivers on paperwork and other ongoing issues, answering inquiry phone calls, giving tours to potential participants’ families, setting up half day trial visits for potential participants, and being available to assist other members of the Adult Day & Respite Services staff.

The Adult Day & Respite Services program assists older adults with physical and cognitive challenges, as well as young adults with developmental disabilities through the day programs. SRC staff assist participants with medications, meals, bathroom tasks and many more activities that occur in daily life. There is also a program of activities that are intended to address the participants’ physical well-being, creativity, social life, mind strength and spirituality.

The program supports families in keeping their loved ones in their homes for as long as possible, and strives to provide support to the families with guidance, and educational opportunities.

“We provide good quality care,” said Rowlison. “Our setting is different from other places I have worked at, in that we get to have fun with the participants too. It’s not just about taking care of their daily needs.”

Rowlison has been working with seniors ever since she was a student at Kansas State University, where she studied social work. She had every intention of being a child social worker, but was assigned to a nursing home for her social work internship.

“I absolutely loved it,” she said of the internship. “I loved going there every day and getting to know the residents and getting to learn more about senior services. It was just a really good fit for me, and it was where I wanted to continue.”

After graduation, Rowlison hoped to continue working with older adults. She soon landed a job in SRC’s Care Management program.

“I was really impressed with all the different senior services that SRC offered,” she said.

After some time in Care Management, and stints with SRC In-Home Care and at a nursing home, Rowlison settled into her current position in Adult Day and Respite Services.

“It’s something I love, I love working with the participants,” Rowlison said. “I enjoy their families and being able to provide support to them.”

Rowlison says the most rewarding aspect of her job is seeing the positive effect that the Adult Day program has on participants and their families.

“Participants can come in and enjoy themselves, and that helps relieve the stress and burden caregivers are feeling,” she said.

When asked to give an example of a particular participant and caregiver that had exemplified this Rowlison was quiet as she seemed to mentally cipher through the many, many individuals that came to mind. Rowlison settled on a couple whose relationship was comparable to the story of The Notebook.

“It was amazing for me to watch how this husband and wife were together; he was very loving, very nurturing and very caring,” she said.

Rowlison also mentioned another former Adult Day participant, saying that, “She was just an amazing woman, and very thankful for every little thing you did. She was the person you strive to be if you were in a situation like hers. She is someone I will not forget.”

With an ever increasing demand for services, SRC is constructing a brand-new, 17,000 square-foot facility in August to meet the need. And as SRC continues to grow, Rowlison plans to continue in her current position and see what else the organization is possible of accomplishing.

“I love working with seniors,” she said. “I don’t know what opportunities might come forth in the future, but I really see myself at SRC.”

This SRC service is available in the Adams, Arapahoe, Broomfield, Clear Creek, Denver, Gilpin, Jefferson and Park counties. For further information, visit www.SRCAging.org/adultday, or call 303-235-6961 for Metro Denver services and 303-674-2843 for Evergreen services.

Job Training Participants Benefit from Dental Exams

2010-07-21T11:04:00.000-07:00

By Lauren Kelly
Intern, Public Relations & Marketing

Dental hygiene students from the Community College of Denver, under the guidance from their instructors, recently examined the mouths of 74 older adults from Seniors’ Resource Center’s Job Training program.

The examinations were a part of a study being conducted to help Colorado design a program that would allow seniors to receive the dental work they need at a minimal cost. The state would like to pattern the program Connecticut has in place, which has been reported as being very successful, and implement this program by next year.

Performed at a local church, the examinations included suggestions for the participants on how the to improve their gums and teeth. The participants were also shown a video including information about the deterioration of gums in seniors and tips on how to prevent it.

“Many of our seniors have taken advantage of the information they received and made dental appointments,” said Job Training Services Program Manager Corinne Sherrick. “It was a very successful program.”

The participants walked away with a dental resources pamphlet that included contact information for 18 dental practices in different counties that could provide additional dental work to the participants from $4 to $80.

More seniors seek to catch a ride

2010-07-16T09:06:00.000-07:00

Sara Crocker
Reporter, Wheat Ridge Transcript

July 15, 2010

This is the second of a seven-part series on aging in Jefferson County and how the creators of the Aging Well in Jefferson County project hope to address the largest number of seniors in the state. Part two looks at the issue of transportation and mobility.

Ronald Hannah used to drive a truck for a living. Now, when his wife is at work, he waits outside his brick ranch in Arvada for a free ride from the Seniors' Resource Center.

On Monday, Hannah was heading to the Kidney Center of Arvada for dialysis, which he goes in for three times a week. Until five years ago, Hannah was driving. The 70-year-old said his leg had to be amputated after getting a blood clot during a surgery. He was told afterward that he couldn't drive anymore.

It was hard to not be able to get behind the wheel.

"I had driven all my life as a professional truck driver," he said.

But, he like other seniors in the Jefferson County area, uses an assisted transportation service so that they can get around without having to depend on a family member or friend for a ride.

As a senior, Hannah is a part of the largest age group in the county, and one whose population is expected to double in 2010, to more than 150,000.

In 2004, 4 percent of Jeffco seniors reported using a public bus or senior van, like those offered by SRC, access-a-Ride, LogistiCare and Lakewood Rides. That compares with 1 percent using those services in 1994.

A 2008 survey of Lakewood Rides, LogistiCare and SRC found that from July to December, the three organization provided more than 48,000 rides.

Even though the vast majority of seniors still drive their own car, Jeffco needs to be ready to serve the increasing population and be prepared to offer a variety of ways to get from one place to the next, according to SRC Transportation Manager Hank Braaksma.

"Time has run out," said Braaksma, who chaired the transportation and mobility workgroup for the Aging Well in Jefferson County project. "We need to start anticipating."

He follows a simple rule of thumb when evaluating a transportation service: if it's not easy people won't use it. Also, there is some fear of the unknown.

"A lot of people when they think of public transportation think of the Colfax bus," Braaksma said.

The workgroup has met for the last two years and is now looking at implementing goals: providing mobility and mobility options.

They hope to do so by forming a countywide coordinating council, which would include representatives from the county, its municipalities, transportation providers and consumers.

Those people will be brought together Aug. 4 and 5, with the help of an Easter Seals grant. They also received $15,000 from the Colorado Department of Transportation.

Creating such a group is an important piece in getting federal funding, Braaksma said.

Within the next five years, they hope to ensure mobility and mobility options, improve funding for assisted transportation and address transportation gaps in southern Jeffco and the mountains.

Part of ensuring options is about choice, Braaksma said. That means services cannot tell seniors where they'll be going but instead look at a model of taking them where they request to go. He is also optimistic about FasTracks project and the availability of light rail to Jeffco residents in early 2013.

And access to transportation can directly relate to quality of life.

Wheat Ridge resident Elvira Carlyle said she takes an SRC van once a week so she can get to her hairdresser.

Carlyle, 89, still drives short distances, like to her bank or drug store.

"It's nice to have that ride," she said.

Braaksma added that a personal trip like that can help boost clients' confidence and gets them out of their home, interacting with people and avoiding isolation.

"If you feel good and look good you'll stay healthier," he said.

Kind Heart Contributes to Independence of SRC In-Home Care Client

2010-06-15T10:23:00.001-07:00

By Katie Li

Intern, Public Relations & Marketing

A kind gesture toward someone can go a long way. For Rachael, a 42-year old Seniors’ Resource Center In-Home Care Services client, the donation of a 2001 Chrysler minivan changed her life.

“She will be able to get out, go shopping, and go to the doctor’s office without depending on the state transportation service,” said Sandra, Rachael’s mother. “We haven’t been able to go anywhere together, not even a picnic. She’s been tied to the house.”

Kim Tempest, who learned of SRC through her brother and his involvement with Volunteers of America, generously donated the van to Rachael. The van had belonged to Kim’s mother, who recently passed away.

An accident over 20 years ago left Rachael paralyzed and hindered her ability to do many things. Becoming less able to push herself in her manual wheelchair, Rachael switched to an electric wheelchair over a year ago.

However, that chair was far heavier than the manual one and proved to be a challenge in trying to get into her 1985 Chevy minivan.

And despite adding hydraulics to the van, it still did not have the capability to lift the electric chair.

“She would have to get into her old chair, and I’m getting to the point where I can’t push her anymore,” said Sandra. “I had to make sure that there was someone to help me get her out. I just can’t do it alone.”

The new van, equipped with an electric ramp, will not only accommodate Rachael’s electric chair, but it will also allow her to drive.

For 15 years and counting, SRC’s In-Home Care Services provided the opportunity for Rachael to remain living at home, as a personal care provider comes over to cook lunch and do laundry. It also allowed Sandra to continue working during the day.

Overall, this donation means more that just having a reliable form of transportation. For Rachel, it gives her a sense of newfound freedom and independence.

Rachael said, “I want to thank her so much. She doesn’t know what it means for me to be able to get out.”

Kim also donated a full-size hospital bed and an electric wheelchair to SRC.

“We just thought that since our mom was lucky enough to have a good bed, a good chair and a good car, that someone else should have that too,” said Kim, tearfully.

For more information on SRC, a 32-year-old non-profit provider of community-based services and care for older adults, please call 303.238.8151 or visit www.SRCAging.org.

Its service lineup also includes intensive Transportation, Adult Day & Respite Services, mental health outreach, Job Training, Volunteer opportunities and Care Management.

SRC Celebrates Flag Day 2010

2010-06-15T09:11:00.000-07:00

The Colorado All Veterans Honor Guard and Senator Moe Keller joined Seniors' Resource Center as the non-profit agency hoisted brand-new Colorado and United States flags at its headquarters in Wheat Ridge on Monday, June 14.

To view more photos from the ceremony, click here.

SRC Blogging On: Napping at Work and Groundbreakings

2010-06-09T09:14:00.000-07:00

Brandon Edelman is the Public Relations & Marketing Coordinator for the non-profit Seniors’ Resource Center in Denver. In this capacity, Brandon manages content on the agency’s website and social media outlets, coordinates marketing efforts, writes press releases, and assists in the development of marketing collateral and advertisements. A 2006 graduate of the University of Denver, he also holds a position with Major League Soccer’s Colorado Rapids on its promotional/game entertainment team. Prior to these roles, Brandon spent one year as a beat writer covering the Rapids for Top Drawer Soccer, one bowl season as Media Relations Intern for the Valero Alamo Bowl in San Antonio, TX, and six months interning at both The Aurora Sentinel newspaper and Mile High Sports Magazine.

There probably isn’t a single soul, if given the opportunity to completely get away with it, that would turn away an opportunity to pull a George Costanza.

And while I may or may not be referring to throwing down a partially eaten chocolate éclaire out of a kitchen trash can, or urinating in a gym shower, one other moment tops them all.

In an 8th season episode, the neurotic, self-loathing character played by Jason Alexander on the sitcom Seinfeld finds himself in need of a nap at work. He discovers that getting some shuteye underneath his desk is the way to go. He even goes as far as to have some custom modifications done to the workspace, including a shelf for an alarm clock.

It’s a genius idea, and surprisingly in my short career, I have been witness to a daily nap going down at work in another department.

But dozing off on the job seems to be commonplace as of late, especially on the same night in the big leagues.

Take former five-time All-Star and current New York Met broadcaster Keith Hernandez (he ironically starred in the two-part “The Boyfriend” episode of Seinfeld in 1992, who fell asleep during a May 8 game as he was calling the action between the Mets and Giants.

Two days later, a report from the Tacoma News Times stated that Ken Griffey Jr., who retired on June 2, fell asleep in the clubhouse during a May 8 game and missed an opportunity to pinch hit. True or not, it’s pretty hilarious.

And I’m not going to lie; I have measured the space underneath my desk and drafted a few mock ups for the sleeping quarters. It is spacious and there would probably be room for two.

But the good news is I have yet to nap at work, and to be honest, it would be foolish for anyone at Seniors’ Resource Center (SRC) to do so right now.

That is because the non-profit is ready to break ground on a state-of-the-art 17,000 square-foot Adult Day & Respite Services (ADRS) building, which will be constructed directly adjacent and to the north of the Wheat Ridge central office (3227 Chase Street).

A groundbreaking ceremony is set for 11 a.m. on Monday, July 12 at that Wheat Ridge location.

SRC launched this $8.7 million Capital Campaign in 2006 and is currently within $279,968 of fully funding Phase I (new building) of the effort. Phase II is a $1.1 million renovation of the current building vacated by the ADRS program.

When completed, the project will nearly double the size of the current facility and expand the capacity of the Adult Day & Respite Services program enormously. It is more than anything about providing our aging population with the gift of independence and dignity that we all hope and expect to have as we gain in years.

SRC is a 32-year-old leading non-profit provider of person-focused, coordinated services to enhance independence, dignity and quality of life for seniors. Its direct services include a coordinated-care model of transportation, adult day and respite care, in-home care, mental health outreach, job training and care management services.

If you have an aging loved one, or are aware of the inevitable fact that we will all one day be seniors, and would like to contribute a gift, you can call 303.235.6967 or visit www.SRCAging.org/donate.

Or, for a nice set of step by step instructions on napping at work, click here.

Medicaid recipients improperly knocked off program

2010-05-27T15:33:00.001-07:00

A faulty interpretation of federal law has resulted in 2,698 people statewide being improperly dropped from Medicaid benefits during the past few days. The state Department of Health Care Policy and Financing incorrectly programmed the computer system that manages Medicaid benefits to terminate any parents in two-parent households where one of the parents did not apply for Medicaid.

The department agrees the parents are eligible for benefits, but officials say they cannot reprogram the software until at least August. That's partly a result of limitations of the Colorado Benefits Management System, computer software introduced in 2004 to manage public benefits.

The Medicaid terminations take effect May 31, and any new applicants who fall into the department's faulty criteria will be denied benefits. The department has sent letters Medicaid beneficiaries can use with health providers and says it will reopen pharmacy benefits about June 1. The department has also sent information about the problem to counties and community-based organizations. It has designated an employee for people to contact with problems, Sandra Sanchez, sandra.sanchez@state.co.us or 303-866-2823.

Seniors' Resource Center Wins Two CAHSA Quality First Awards

2010-05-17T14:58:00.000-07:00

The Colorado Association of Homes and Services for the Aging (CAHSA) awarded Seniors’ Resource Center (SRC) with two Quality First Awards at its 2010 Annual Convention & Exhibition on Thursday, May 13 in Keystone, CO.

The non-profit agency won one award in the Consumer Participation category for its Volunteer Driver Services program and another award in the Consumer-Friendly Information category for its Website and Social Media Outlets.

SRC is a 32-year-old leading non-profit provider of person-focused, coordinated services to enhance independence, dignity and quality of life for seniors.

“Seniors’ Resource Center is a proud member and supporter of CAHSA, and is pleased to once again be recognized for advancing its Quality First principles through community-based care, aimed at keeping seniors as independent for as long as possible,” said SRC President/CEO John Zabawa.

Quality First is a philosophy of quality and a framework for earning public trust in aging services. More important, it is a renewal of a commitment as aging-services providers to help older adults and their loved ones live their lives to their fullest potential.

The SRC Volunteer Driver Services program, which relies on the goodwill of volunteers across the metro area to use their personal vehicles to transport seniors in need of personal rides (hair salon, bank, taking a pet to the vet, volunteering) and some medical trips, has delivered 26,387 rides since its inception in 2004.

The revised www.SRCAging.org features a more accessible and user-friendly platform where caregivers and seniors can learn about the resources available to them in the community. Since its launch in August 2009, the website has experienced 71,035 unique visitors.

CAHSA, established in 1968, is the state's largest and oldest non-profit organization representing providers of senior housing and aging services to Colorado's elderly. More than 200 member organizations belong to CAHSA, including assisted living residences, nursing homes, retirement communities, independent living, HUD housing, adult day programs and other community-based services.

SRC won a 2009 Quality First Award in the Leading-Edge Care and Services category for its Wheat Ridge Internal Medicine (WRIM) program. In 2009, SRC provided direct services to 18,655 individuals across ten counties.

Cops release photos of couple allegedly victimizing senior citizens

2010-05-11T13:24:00.000-07:00

By Howard Pankrats
The Denver Post

Authorities have released pictures of a couple who are believed to have ripped off senior citizens in the Denver metro area and on the Eastern Plains.

In the latest incident, the Adams County Sheriff's Department said the couple victimized a 92-year-old Strasburg resident.

In the incident late last week, investigators say the couple knocked on the back door of the victim's home.

Once the elderly resident opened his door, the couple entered the home, hugged him and said they had not seen him in a long time.

Shortly after entering the home, the man said he had to use the bathroom. He was directed to the bathroom.

In the next few minutes, the victim said he saw the man leaving and then re-entering his home several times.

Eventually, the victim saw the man sitting in a blue pickup truck, honking on the horn and telling his female companion they had to leave.

According to investigators, when the 92-year-old victim searched his house, he found that it had been ransacked with old coins, currency and jewelry missing.

According to Sgt. Candi Baker, spokeswoman for the Adams County Sheriff's Department, the couple then went to a gas station near Strasburg and spent some of the old coins they had just taken from the victim.

Surveillance video taken at the store show the man and woman and their pickup truck.

Adams County authorities believe this is the same couple who has victimized elderly residents in Lakewood, Arvada, Aurora, Limon, Denver and Jefferson County.

In some of the incidents, the couple spun a tale of hard luck which gained them entry into the victims' homes, according to the Jefferson County Sheriff's Department.

They told the victims they are neighbors who had locked themselves out of their residence. Once they've gained entry through the ruse, the couple splits up.

The male suspect says he has to use the bathroom. The woman stays with the victims as her partner goes to the other rooms and steals money and jewelry.

The male is described as Latino, in his 20s, 5 feet 6 inches tall with a slim build. He often changes his appearance. On some occasions he is polite and professional while at other times he appears disheveled and confused.

The woman is described as white, 5 feet 2 inches, heavy set with medium-brown hair.

They have used either a blue pickup or a 1990s model white car.

Anyone with information about the suspects or vehicle is asked to call the Adams County Sheriff's Office at 720-322-1313.

Colorado Garden Show awards SRC $13,000 grant

2010-05-10T09:43:00.000-07:00

Colorado Garden Show, Inc. (CGS), a non-profit corporation that provides funds for horticultural-related grants, scholarships and events for the benefit of the greater Denver area and the state of Colorado, along with its board of directors, awarded Seniors' Resource Center a $13,000 grant to be used toward a therapeutic garden in its new Adult Day & Respite Services building.

SRC is set to break ground on the state-of-the-art 17,000 square foot facility this summer. For more information on this project, click here.

Board President Chuck Stroh presented SRC Adult Day & Respite Services manager Linda Johnston with the check.

Overall, CGS awarded $487,200 in horticulture-related grant projects to 44 Colorado organizations on Thursday, May 6 at the 2010 Grant and Scholarship Award Ceremony hosted at Craig Hospital in Englewood, Colo.

For more information on these grants, or to view a list of other recipients, please click here.

Couple ripping off metro-area senior citizens

2010-05-07T13:29:00.000-07:00

A young couple has ripped off senior citizens in the Denver area by spinning a tale of hard luck that gains them entry into the victims' homes, according to the Jefferson County Sheriff's Department.

During the past week the perpetrators have gone to homes and told the occupants they are neighbors who have locked themselves out of their residence.

Once they've gained entry through the ruse, the couple splits up. The male suspect says he has to use the bathroom.

The woman stays with the victims as her partner goes to other rooms and steals money and jewelry.

Mark Techmeyer, spokesman for the Jefferson County Sheriff's Department, said the victims have not realized they've been ripped off until the couple has left.

The four crimes have occurred in Jefferson County, Lakewood and Denver.

The man is described as Latino, 5 feet 8 inches to 5 feet 10 inches with a medium build. The woman is described as Latino, 5 feet 2 inches to 5 feet 5 inches with dark hair and a medium build.

Techmeyer said the man has changed his appearances during the crime spree.

On some occasions he is polite and professional and well dressed. At other times he has appeared disheveled and confused.

The suspects have used either a blue pickup truck or a 90s model white car.

Techmeyer said that residents should be careful before allowing strangers into their homes and are asked to be on the lookout for people matching the couple's description.

Anyone with information about the couple and the crimes is asked to call the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office tip line at 303-271-5612.Howard Pankratz: 303-954-1939 or hpankratz@denverpost.com

Join our Fundraising Team!

2010-04-15T14:46:00.000-07:00

Seniors’ Resource Center is partnering with Elitch Gardens and PARC Foundation to raise money through the selling of admission tickets at $19.99 per person. For each ticket sold, $5.00 will be donated to SRC.

Tickets are good during any operating day in May and are $20.00 off the usual admission price of $39.99. Each admission ticket includes:

• Full day of unlimited rides and attractions
• $2 food voucher to use at restaurants throughout the park
• $2 off parking when you show your Coasters for Caring ticket at the parking toll plaza
• $15 September return ticket
• Opportunity to upgrade to a season pass for $29.99

For more information on how to get tickets, please call 303.235.6939.

Vote NO on House Bill 1396

2010-04-09T15:30:00.001-07:00

The Colorado Urban and Rural Enterprise Zone Act of 1986 established the Enterprise Zone program to provide incentives and tax credits for private enterprises and industries to locate and expand in designated economically distressed areas of the state. This would include non-profit organizations and severely impact Seniors’ Resource Center which is situated in an Enterprise Zone. The Enterprise Zone Program encourages job creation and capital investment in economically distressed areas by providing tax credits to businesses and Enterprise Zone projects.

In order to promote and encourage economic development in economically distressed areas, we strongly support the Colorado’s Enterprise Zone Program. Please join us in the fight to vote NO on House Bill 1396 to make modifications on the existing Colorado’s’ Enterprise Zone Program.

DRCOG's New Community-Based Website

2010-04-08T12:46:00.000-07:00

Colorado residents are aging, and demand for information on everything from housing to legal services to meet their needs is increasing. The Denver Regional Council of Governments (DRCOG) Area Agency on Aging unveiled a comprehensive, community-based website on Wednesday, April 7.

The new site is designed to improve and better coordinate long-term care services for the more than 340,000 seniors in the Denver metro area.

Click here to check it out!

Caregiver Survivor Skills Series: Community Resources Available

2010-04-06T13:14:00.000-07:00

Thursday, April 22, 2010

4:00- 5:30 PM

April’s topic: YOU ARE NOT ALONE
HELP IS OUT THERE

THIS SESSION WILL FAMILIARIZE YOU WITH THE MANY RESOURCES AVAILABLE IN OUR MOUNTAIN COMMUNITY; WHO THEY ARE, HOW THEY CAN ASSIST YOU IN CARING FOR YOUR LOVED ONE AND HOW TO CONTACT THEM.

Helping you to naviagate the many resources and services available in our community, will be our guest speaker, Judi Harcrow, N.P. and Advanced Practice R.N. of Senior Care of Colorado, P.C. Senior Care, one of the many resources in our community, has offices in Evergreen, located at the Seniors’ Resource Center. They specialize in geriatric medicine but under certain circumstances, also serve younger adults with disabilities.

WHAT: An educational series that is presented by the Mountain Caregivers Resource Group* consisting of Mt. Evans Hospice & Home Health, The Seniors’ Resource Center-Evergreen, The Evergreen Library, Elk Run Assisted Living and the Life Care Center at Evergreen.

WHEN: Thursday, April 22, 2010

TIME: 4:00 – 5:30 PM

WHO: Caregivers and / or anyone interested in learning more about what resources are available to them in our community. Following the presentation, time has been set aside for questions.

WHERE: The Evergreen Library, 5000 Hwy 73, Evergreen, CO (at Buffalo Park Rd.)

If you are interested in attending this free event, please RSVP to Wendy at Mt. Evans 303-674-6400 or Sharon at the Yellow House 303-674-2843.

Nominate a Senior Hero Today!

2010-03-31T10:49:00.000-07:00

Seniors' Resource Center and the Jefferson County Council on Aging are seeking local Senior Heroes to be honored at a "Salute to Senior Heroes Celebration" on May 20, 2010 at 2:30 p.m. at Lakeview Senior Living in Lakewood.

Visit www.SRCAging.org for more information and to download the nomination form.

Survey of Older Adults to be Sent to Residents of Jefferson County

2010-03-26T07:50:00.000-07:00

Through funding from Rose Community Foundation, Jefferson County Department of Human Services has contracted with National Research Center (NRC) in Boulder to conduct an assessment of the strengths and needs of its older residents. Based upon the perspectives of older residents themselves, the CASOA was developed to provide a statistically valid survey of older adults in communities across America. The study findings will be used by staff, elected officials and other stakeholders to plan for older adult services, programs and facilities. The objectives of the CASOA are to:

• Identify community strengths in serving older adults.

• Articulate the specific needs of older adults in the County.

• Develop current estimates of and projections of older adult residents’ needs into the future.

The results of this exploration will provide useful information for planning and resource development as well as strengthen advocacy efforts and stakeholder engagement. The ultimate goal of the assessment is to create an empowered community that supports a vibrant older adult population in Jefferson County.

The survey will focus on a series of older adult residents’ needs and the community supports that foster successful aging. More than forty common needs affecting older adults’ well being will be assessed. These forty issues fall into the larger categories of health and wellness, community design and land use, participation in productive activities, and community resources for information and planning. Older adults’ opinions about current community amenities and opportunities will be measured in the survey.

Please assist the County in its planning for older adults by filling out the survey, should you receive one in the mail. The surveys will be sent out the end of April.

Irish Dance Students Perform for SRC Adult Day & Respite Services

2010-03-23T09:24:00.000-07:00

A special thank you to students of the Martin Percival School of Irish Dance for entertaining SRC Adult Day participants and staff last week on St. Patrick's Day. Photos from the performance are below.

- SRC Media Relations

Video Games May Help Combat Depression In Older Adults

2010-03-19T09:21:00.000-07:00

This is an interesting piece on the use of video games to help address symptoms of subsyndromal depression. Click here to access the article.

- SRC Media Relations

Caregiver Survivor Skills Series: Financial and Insurance Issues

2010-03-12T14:13:00.000-08:00

March 25, 2010
4:00 p.m. - 5:15 p.m.

If a long-term care need happened to you, would your family be financially and emotionally prepared to handle it?

To help you understand the importance of your decisions and to plan for the future, we have Linda and Carl Gardner,CPAs and specialists in long-term care, as our guest speakers. The focus of their presentation will be on providing the attendees with the information necessary to make informed decisions about financial and insurance issues.

This is part of an educational series that is presented by the Mountain Caregivers Resource Group.The group consists of Mt. Evans Hospice & Home Health, Seniors' Resource Center-Evergreen, the Evergreen Library, Elk Run Assisted Living and the Life Care Center at Evergreen.

Adult Day Care will be provided for your loved ones during the presentation by Angela, Activities Director for Elk Run Assisted Living. (Call 303.679.8777 if you have a loved one attending).

If you plan on attending this free event, please RSVP to Wendy at Mt. Evans at 303.674.6400 or to Sharon at SRC-Evergreen at 303.674.2843.