Senior Fund: How you can do good for El Pasoans as we close out dreadful 2020

Your generosity has had a major impact on fellow El Pasoans in 2020.

Those moments of goodwill provided hope in what's been a difficult year -- punctuated by the spread of COVID-19 in our community.

The pandemic and difficult economic conditions put an extra strain on our senior residents. This vulnerable population is coping with an acute threat to their lives because of the coronavirus.

It has been especially difficult for these seniors to stock up on essentials, such as toilet paper and cleaning supplies, while weighing the risks of visiting a grocery store or welcoming family members into their homes.

Those new challenges were piled upon seniors already in need of critical home improvements to stay in their homes and money to pay for emergency health care expenses and medical devices, such as hearing aids and wheelchairs.

Over the past year, the Senior Fund Committee approved 14 client requests, including the purchase of five hearing aids, three bathroom modifications, four home grab bar installations and two dental procedures.

The special assistance totaled $31,511.

In response to the pandemic, the Senior Fund also provided relief to more than 1,550 older adults unable to leave their homes, through the Senior Care Kit Project.

A look back: Senior Fund delivers 1,000th senior care kit with supplies for elderly

Care Kits were delivered directly to their doorsteps between April and November. The kits included toilet paper, shampoo/conditioner, toothbrushes, toothpaste, hand soap, hand sanitizer, face masks and laundry detergent.

As stated earlier, your generosity has had a major impact on our seniors.

Today we are kicking off this holiday season’s Senior Fund campaign.

United Way of El Paso County is a partner in the Senior Fund, making sure all the money donated by our readers is spent entirely on helping our senior residents. The Rio Grande Council of Governments and the Area Agency on Aging help identify seniors in need through the Senior Fund.

One of the major success stories of the Senior Fund over the past 12 months was an effort to help a husband and wife in their 80s stay in their home.

The husband had injured his leg, making his incontinence and daily grooming more of a challenge. His wife was diagnosed with cancer, which led to the amputation of one of her arms. She withdrew into deep depression.

The couple was sorely in need of an overhaul of their home's bathroom so their children could continue to care for them.

The children reached out to the Area Agency on Aging for emergency help using Senior Fund donations.

"The mother didn’t even want to talk to me when I visited. She was in deep depression in her room," said Sandra Gonzalez, a client services manager for the Area Agency on Aging. "The son was trying to juggle care for two parents, one in a wheelchair, one with who had multiple surgeries and depression."

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The son had a difficult time putting his father in and out of the shower. He was reduced to using a bucket of water to give his father a bath while he sat in the wheelchair.

"There was a tiny entrance to the bathroom and the toilet was inches away," Gonzalez said.

The bathroom was remodeled by Carlos Ruiz, owner of Value Plus Construction. The new bathroom included a handheld shower wand, grab bars and an ADA-rated toilet with a seat higher than standard toilets.

"It was a quality of life improvement so they can remain independent in their home rather than being institutionalized," Gonzalez said. "It's a great cause. It helped both parents."

She said there are other families with similar struggles to find the resources to allow elderly residents to stay in their homes.

"It is wonderful way that we are able to reach out and make a difference in their lives," Gonzalez said.

During the holiday season, the El Paso Times will profile older adults to raise awareness of this special need in our community.

“As you can see, donations made to the fund can and do make a difference in the lives of older adults,” said Yvette Lugo, director for the Area Agency on Aging.

“Senior Fund donations can be made year round, but we come to you again this holiday season in hopes that as a community, you will continue to assist in supporting the needs of older adults.”

How to help with El Paso's 20Senior Fund

Senior Fund: Visit United Way of El Paso County’s website at unitedwayelpaso.org to make a secure, online donation under the Ways To Give tab, Senior Fund section. You may also mail donations directly to United Way, by making checks payable to: United Way of El Paso County – Senior Fund, mailed to P.O .Box 1707, El Paso Texas, 79949.

Tim Archuleta is the executive editor of the El Paso Times.

This article originally appeared on El Paso Times: Senior Fund: How you can do good for El Pasoans as we close out dreadful 2020

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