Baptist Beaches, nonprofits seek help providing support for seniors

Baptist Medical Center Beaches and local beaches organizations are seeking volunteers to help provide much-needed services for senior residents.

In the beaches area, individuals 65 and older are the fastest-growing population. To ensure senior residents have the support and resources they need, Baptist Beaches is teaming up with the Beaches Council on Aging, Beaches Emergency Assistance Ministry, Hart Felt Ministries and ElderSource to recruit community members to help fill this gap.

These organizations share a commitment to the well-being of older residents and provide a range of services to support those in need:

• Beaches Council on Aging connects seniors to people, services and places to give older residents a sense of self-sufficiency and security.
• Beaches Emergency Assistance Ministry (BEAM) provides financial, food and case management assistance.
• Hart Felt Ministries enriches the lives of seniors, enabling them to age in place with dignity and grace.
• ElderSource helps adults 60 and older, persons with disabilities 18 and older and their caregivers to live and age with independence and dignity in their homes and communities.

“Baptist Beaches has an important responsibility to meet the unique health needs of all in our community,” said hospital President Joe Mitrick. “Previous Community Health Needs Assessments uncovered an opportunity to enhance support for our older residents. That’s why we’re taking a collective approach to addressing this need and calling on the community to help. Together, we can improve the lives of seniors in our local area.”

Volunteer positions vary by organization but share a common goal of improving seniors’ quality of life:

• Supporting Baptist Beaches patients and visitors by serving as an official hospital volunteer
• Providing companionship via phone to isolated residents
• Delivering food to homebound seniors
• Assisting with home projects and repairs
• Researching critical resources

To learn more about available volunteer opportunities, go to baptistjax.com/help4seniors.