PRESS RELEASE
June 27, 2011
For Immediate Release
Independence Day is Celebrated Every Day by Many Area Seniors
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – The 4th of July. Independence Day. For many aging Americans the word independence is meaningful every day. On July 3, Marjorie T. will be turning 100 years old. It is a special day for her as well as Amanda Thrush (several decades behind) of Seniors Helping Seniors because they share a birthday on the eve of our great country’s “birthday”. Marjorie does not want to be in a nursing home, but rather, she wants to stay right where she is, living with her grandson and his wife in Ada. She wants to be as independent as possible. Their situation is not unique as many seniors are living longer and want to maintain their independence. But as anyone who provides care for an elderly relative knows, care giving comes with its own set of challenges and rewards. Amanda met with Marjorie and her family to see how Seniors Helping Seniors could help. After getting to know Marjorie, she matched her up with Rita Chorley to provide respite care, allowing Marjorie’s grandson Dan and his wife Margaret to get out of the house knowing they did not have to worry about Marjorie.
Rita is a very active senior herself who found Seniors Helping Seniors to be a good way for her to get out, help other seniors maintain their independence and supplement her retirement income at the same time. “They are so happy to have people their own age around them. So I can see that it makes a big difference in their lives and that’s what I like to do, is make a difference in their lives,” says Rita about her experience with Seniors Helping Seniors. Another thing that Rita loves is the flexibility. She gets to choose when she wants to work and how much work she wants to take on, giving her the ability to spend time with her family as well as those she is providing care for.
Although it is quite a feat, it turns out that having that century birthday is not as rare as it used to be. The United States has the greatest number of centenarians in the world, estimated at 70,490 on September 1, 2010. Did you know that the majority of centenarians, about 85%, are women? In developed countries, the prevalence of centenarians is about 1 in 6,000. Centenarians are the fastest growing segment of the US population. About 15% of centenarians live independently, completely on their own.
Not all of SHS’s clients are 100. Some like Eleanor W. of Grand Rapids just turned 90. “Elaine is like having a second daughter and I don’t know how I would be able to live on my own without her,” says Eleanor about her provider, Elaine W. Eleanor is able to live independently in a condo on the NW side of Grand Rapids and receives care from Elaine three times per week. Elaine assists Eleanor with housekeeping, chores and personal grooming. The SHS office in Grand Rapids has provided service to about 200 seniors in the community since opening in 2009. Owner Dave VanderLinde Sr. says, “When we met the founder Kiran Yocom in 2009 and had the opportunity to see her passion for helping seniors and serving both sides of the equation, Judy (his wife) and I knew this is what we were being called to do in the next phase of our lives. We have been actively involved in running the senior citizens group at Saints Peter and Paul Parish for over a decade and this was an opportunity to do even more for those seniors that need help and also a great way to give other healthy seniors a way to earn a little extra money in this economy. It really is a way to give and receive.”
A family owned and operated business in Grand Rapids, Dave and Judy brought their daughter Amanda and son Dave Jr. into the family business early on. “I was working in nursing homes and just felt like a walking pill dispenser. I saw so many seniors that didn’t want to be there and in many cases if they had a little help at home, could have stayed at home longer. They could have been independent instead of going into the nursing home. I got into nursing because I love working with the elderly and now working at Seniors Helping Seniors it is my job to assess the seniors that need help and match them up with the right loving, caring and compassionate provider that works with us. I am doing what I love now; spending time with our greatest generation and helping them celebrate their independence every day.”
Dave Jr. assists the family business as a Regional Owner for Seniors Helping Seniors. With several thousand baby boomers turning 65 every day until 2029 the number of seniors in our community is growing daily. “We doubled our number of offices in Michigan last year from 4 to 8 and are seeing more growth. Many entrepreneurs are realizing the need for these services in their communities across the state; especially after having their own personal experiences with aging relatives. Even more rewarding for me is when I get to help out with some of the small home repair projects that we do for some seniors. The gratitude they show for some of the things that seem so little is the most gratifying part of what I do. When I helped Linda Spencer with some things around her house and got a big hug, smile and thanks it really brought home how important these services are to seniors who are struggling to maintain their homes to stay independent,” adds Dave Jr.
“People are thrilled with the personalized quality of care and companionship they receive through Seniors Helping Seniors in-home services” says Judy VanderLinde. Throughout Michigan Seniors Helping Seniors franchises are providing thousands of hours of service every month and demand is increasing. “There is clearly a need for our special brand of caring service that helps seniors maintain their self respect, stay in their home independently, and be connected to their community,” relates local caregiver Suzanne Woods.
To celebrate their second anniversary the local Seniors Helping Seniors office will be having an annual picnic to recognize some of the outstanding caregivers who work for them, thank the receivers who allow SHS to serve them and show appreciation to others in the community who have supported their venture. Stop and chat, there will be plenty of information that you can take for a friend or loved one. The picnic is being held at Millennium Park on Wednesday August 17 from 12PM – 2PM. For more information on the picnic and for directions you can contact Seniors Helping Seniors at 616-234-0190.
“We are excited to present our first Kiran Yocom award to one of our providers at this year’s picnic,” says Amanda Thrush. “The award is named after our founder who spent 14 years working with Mother Teresa and it is being presented to one of our providers who has a passion for helping other seniors and the same loving, caring heart as Kiran,” continued Amanda.
Seniors Helping Seniors provides a variety of help including companion care, transportation to doctors and healthcare facilities, around-the-clock in-home care, basic handyman services, lawn and garden work, food shopping, cooking, cleaning, personal grooming, respite care, Alzheimer’s and dementia care and more. Seniors Helping Seniors has about 165 locations around the country and 8 in Michigan.
Seniors Helping Seniors Franchises are located in 36 states. For more information on Seniors Helping Seniors in-home services, or its franchise system, contact Dave VanderLinde Jr.
Phone: (616) 234-0190
