Community Outreach Services Corporation

ENGAGES PERSONS 55 AND OLDER IN SUPPORTIVE SERVICES TO ADULTS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS

SENIOR COMPANION PROGRAM

036835676 10952728000840 WEST AUSTIN AVENUE

ENGAGES PERSONS 55 AND OLDER IN SUPPORTIVE SERVICES IN THEIR COMMUNITIES.

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY RECENT DATA SUGGEST THAT AT LEAST 125 MILLION SUFFER FROM DEBILITATING CHRONIC DISEASES, 20 MILLION MORE THAN FIVE YEARS AGO, WITH MORE THAN HALF (60%) SUFFERING FROM MORE THAN ONE CHRONIC CONDITION. BY THE YEAR 2020, 157 MILLION AMERICANS, ALMOST ONE-THIRD OF THE PROJECTED POPULATION, WILL HAVE A DEBILITATING CONDITION AT A PROJECTED EXPENSE OF $1 TRILLION DOLLARS IN DIRECT MEDICAL COST ALONE. (THE HENRY J. KAISER FAMILY FOUNDATION 2009) PEOPLE WITH DEBILITATING CHRONIC CONDITIONS HAVE NEEDS THAT ARE CONTINUOUS, MULTIDIMENSIONAL, WITHOUT QUICK OR PREDICTABLE RESOLUTION. THESE DISEASES TAKE TOLL ON FUNCTIONAL CAPACITY, EMOTIONAL HEALTH, AND QUALITY OF LIFE OF THE INDIVIDUAL, THE CAREGIVERS & FAMILIES. THE PROJECTED GROWTH (39%) OF THIS POPULATION GROUP AND THE AGING OF THE BABY BOOMERS OVER THE NEXT 10 YEARS WILL REQUIRE MORE ACCESS TO DIRECT SERVICES AND SUPPORT OPTIONS AND MORE SERVICES WORKERS WILL BE NEEDED TO PROVIDE PERSON TO PERSON CARE SERVICES. THE TARGET SERVICE AREA FOR THE RIO GRANDE VALLEY SENIOR COMPANION PROGRAM IS LOCATED IN DEEP SOUTH TEXAS ALONG THE TEXAS -MEXICO BORDER AND IS COMPOSED OF CAMERON, HIDALGO, & WILLACY COUNTIES COVERING MORE THAN 4,000+ SQUARE MILES? RADIUS. THE COMBINED POPULATION OF THE AREA IS 1.2 MILLION AND HAS EXPERIENCE A RAPID POPULATION GROWTH IN THE PAST SIX YEARS (17% COMPARED TO 13% STATEWIDE AND 6% AT THE NATIONAL LEVEL) ACCORDING TO THE HISPANIC ELDERS PROJECT-HEALTH NEEDS ASSESSMENT REPORT. HISPANICS COMPRISE 87% OF THE TARGET POPULATION. THE OLDER ADULTS LIVING IN THE AREA FACES UNIQUE CHALLENGES INCLUDING LOW PER CAPITA INCOME, LIMITED EDUCATION, CULTURAL AND LANGUAGE, FINANCIAL, TRANSPORTATION BARRIERS. SENIOR COMMUNITY OUTREACH SERVICES, INC. (SCOS) THROUGH THIS APPLICATION AND ITS COMMUNITY PARTNERS WILL ATTEMPT TO ADDRESS TWO COMMUNITY NEEDS; FIRST, TO ALLEVIATE THE LACK OF INNOVATIVE VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES FOR HEALTHY OLDER ADULTS AGE 55 AND OLDER TO HAVE A MEANINGFUL ROLE IN SOCIETY, ENRICH THEIR RETIREMENT YEARS, FOSTER INDEPENDENCE, AND PROMOTE A SENSE OF DIGNITY AND SELF-WORTH AND MOVE TO BECOMING A MORE PRODUCTIVE MEMBER OF SOCIETY. SECONDLY, TO ALLEVIATE THE LACK OF INNOVATIVE LONG TERM CARE SERVICES FOR THE HOME BOUND, THE FRAIL, AND DISABLED OLDER PERSONS IN NEED OF INDIVIDUALIZED PERSON TO PERSON CARE. THE MAIN FOCUS OF THE SENIOR COMPANION PROGRAM IS TO INCREASE OLDER ADULT'S ABILITY TO MAINTAIN INDEPENDENT LIVING IN THEIR OWN HOME AND COMMUNITY. TO ACCOMPLISH THIS SCOS RIO GRANDE VALLEY SENIOR COMPANION PROGRAM WILL RECRUIT, TRAINED AND PLACE 110 INDIVIDUALS 55 YEARS AND OLDER TO SERVE AND ASSIST 330 VULNERABLE ADULTS WHO ARE AT-RISK OF LOSING THEIR INDEPENDENCE AND PROVIDE 114,840 HOURS OF IN-HOME SERVICES TO ENABLE AND PROMOTE INDEPENDENT LIVING. A CNCS FEDERAL INVESTMENT OF $427,478 SUPPLEMENTED BY ANTICIPATED $115,789 FROM NON-FEDERAL RESOURCES THE SENIOR COMPANION PROGRAM WILL PROVIDE THESE MATURING AND VULNERABLE POPULATION, THE HOME-BOUND OLDER ADULTS WITH DISABILITIES WITH THE FOLLOWING SERVICE ACTIVITIES AND ASSISTANCE: COMPANIONSHIP, SHOPPING, APPROPRIATE PERSONAL CARE, HOME-MANAGEMENT, MEAL PREPARATION, LIGHT HOUSEKEEPING, AND OTHER SUPPORT SERVICES THAT WILL HELP MAINTAIN INDEPENDENT LIVING AND LESSENS THE CARE GIVING BURDEN OF FAMILY CAREGIVERS. IT IS ANTICIPATED THAT AT THE END OF THE YEAR THE 330 BENEFICIARIES SERVED BY A SENIOR COMPANION WILL REPORT INCREASE ABILITY OF HAVING OF SOCIAL TIES/PERCEIVED SOCIAL SUPPORT OR RESPITE SERVICES.

SCP: ENGAGES PERSONS 55 AND OLDER IN SUPPORTIVE SERVICES TO ADULTS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS WITH FUNDS APPROPRIATED BY THE STATE OF TEXAS

ENGAGES PERSONS 55 AND OLDER IN SUPPORTIVE SERVICES TO ADULTS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS WITH FUNDS APPROPRIATED BY THE STATE OF TEXAS

FGP: ENGAGES PERSONS 55 AND OLDER IN SUPPORTIVE SERVICE TO CHILDREN IN NEED WITH FUNDS APPROPRIATED BY THE STATE OF TEXAS.

SENIOR COMPANION PROGRAM

SENIOR COMPANION PROGRAM

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