ELDERLY SERVICES INC

Through Project Independence Adult Day Care Center, our Aging Education Center and Elderly Services College, Elderly Services provides opportunities and care to elders; support and respite to families; and information and education to our area.

Founded in 1981, Elderly Services’ original purpose was to offer elders and their families an adult day care center to help delay or prevent nursing home placement. Decades later, our award-winning adult day center — Project Independence — continues as our flagship program. We have added a wonderful array of services in pursuit of our mission: To provide creative, high-quality programs to help elders live safe and satisfying lives in their own homes and communities.

Certification & Memberships:
-- Certified Adult Day Center, Vermont Department of Aging and Independent Living
-- Contract Adult Day Health Center, U.S. Veterans Administration.
-- National Council on Aging
-- National Adult Day Services Association
-- Aging Life Care Association
-- Vermont Association of Adult Day Services
-- Addison County Chamber of Commerce
-- 501 (c) 3 non-profit organization

Elderly Services offers you and your family:
*Project Independence Adult Day Center
Project Independence is a nationally recognized adult day center providing a closely supervised daytime home away from home for elderly adults whose independence has lessened due to chronic illness, disability, or very advanced age.
Individualized care plans reflect each person’s abilities, needs, and interests. Participants represent a broad range of educational backgrounds. Activities are planned for those with sharp minds as well as for those with memory problems.
Project Independence offers:
* Regular activities. These include musical entertainers, creative art, cooking, word games, trivia, exercise, indoor/outdoor sport games, current events, drama group, readings, spelling bee, visits from local schools, travel talks, discussion groups, visiting pets, field trips to museums and farms, and more.
* Meals. Every day we serve a light breakfast, delicious hot noon dinner, afternoon snack, and supper, offering a mix of traditional comfort food and gourmet touches. We accommodate special dietary needs.
* Specialized care. We provide medication management, nursing care, toileting, medical monitoring, mobility assistance, transport to and from appointments, van pick-up and drop-off, individual support counseling, walks, resource referrals, caregiver support-group, and eldercare counseling.
* Transportation. We operate a transportation system throughout Addison County that includes handicapped-accessible vans and specially trained drivers on our staff.
* An hourly fee is established annually by the ESI Board of Directors, based on the cost of operation. Certain participants may be eligible for Veterans Administration or Medicaid waiver fee coverage. Elderly Services offers a financial aid program to make our center affordable with partial scholarship aid

Aging can be a challenge, emotionally and socially. You may be an elder yourself and struggling with loneliness, depression, or a decision about where to live. You may be frustrated due to health issues. Perhaps you’d like to improve your relationship with an adult child.
Elderly couples often have adjustment issues when one becomes dependent on the other. Some couples develop tension when they are together all day in the house.
Family caregivers—adult children, elderly spouses, grandchildren—report high levels of stress. If you are concerned about an elderly loved one’s well being, you might benefit from professional advice and emotional support.
Elderly Services offers:
-- Aging education programs
-- Eldercare counseling
* counseling for individual elders;
* marriage and couples’ counseling;
-- family meetings and communication;
* eldercare information and consultation for family members
* family caregiver assistance and support groups
-- Geriatric needs evaluation
-- Geriatric mental health counseling
-- Local and long-distance counseling / caregiving
— information about out-of-state resources
Elderly Services offers:

-- ESI College, our lifelong learning program with educational courses for independent adults 60 and over.
At Elderly Services Inc., an important part of our mission is to promote and encourage lifelong learning. In 2005 we started ESI College as a way to bring topics and information of interest to independent adults over age 60. ESI College requires only a thirst for knowledge and a curiosity about our world. Participation in our classes and seminars gives you the chance to learn from highly qualified professionals whose expertise in a subject makes learning interesting and entertaining. There are no tests, papers or grades at ESI College. We aim to provide informed discussion and camaraderie.
-- We offer four sessions per year: Fall, Winter, Spring, and Summer. Classes range from one hour lectures to a six-week program, and cover a full spectrum of interests: arts, history, literature, politics, sciences, and religion.

Volunteer opportunities abound, such
-- Individuals provide a listening ear
-- A helpful presence for activities
-- Assistance with mailings
-- School and church youth groups offer activities
-- Story-telling, art, music, and walking groups