Mississippi has a senior problem. Of the 400,000 people over the age of 65
who live in the state, 13.5% of them are living below the poverty line.
That is the highest rate in the entire country. The Mississippi Division of
Aging and Adult Services thus has to take care of these people who, if left
on their own, might not be able to make it. The department recognizes this
and is ?dedicated to keeping pace with the needs of the state's older
citizens and to improving their quality of life.?
They include:
-- Adult Day Care: Daily programs for functionally impaired elder
adults.
-- Alzheimer’s and Related Disorders Support Groups: Monthly meetings for
people suffering with dementia-related issues.
-- Homestead Exemption: Waiving property taxes for some senior
homeowners.
-- In-Home Services: Helping frail seniors who still live in their own home
with such activities as meal preparation, cleaning, bathing and
grooming.
-- Legal Assistance: Legal advice, consultation and representation for
seniors.
-- Mississippi Medicare Assistance Patrol Project: Information and outreach
to seniors on Medicare issues.
-- Older Adult Nutrition Program: Home delivered and group meals.
-- Ombudsman Program: An advocate for residents of long-term care
facilities.
-- Recreation: The state encourages seniors to enjoy the mild climate and
take part in all of the recreation activities Mississippi offers.
-- Senior Community Service Employment Program: Training and job placement
for low-income seniors who need to work.
-- Transportation: Some 300 vehicles available to take seniors to medical
appointments, shopping trips, senior centers, etc.
-- Valley Pak Meals: For those not eligible for home delivered meals, a
monthly fee for frozen meals that can be reheated.
If there is one thing that medical experts and advocates for seniors can
agree upon is that a medical alert system is a necessity for seniors living
alone. Such a system can save your life in the event of a medical
emergency.
Let’s say you fall down and can’t get up; not to be cliché, but that
happens to seniors every day. In fact, a third of all seniors will suffer a
serious fall every year. If you are alone and do not have a medical alert
system, you could lay there for hours or days, and the results could be
tragic. With a medical alert system, you just have to press your emergency
button and help will be at your doorstep in minutes. It has been shown that
the sooner you get help, the more likely you are to make a full recovery
from your injuries.
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