Crystal Partners with Senior Community Services to Help More Seniors Stay in Their Homes
A partnership between a non-profit and the City of Crystal aims to keep more senior citizens like 89-year-old Addie Hemken in their homes as long as possible.
Addie Hemken has lived in her home in Crystal for 65 years.
“We’re all widows,” said Hemken, whose husband, Jack, died last September after 70 years of marriage. “I was very lucky to have him for 70 years.”
For much of that time, the two were able to help raise four kids and take care of their home in Crystal, where she’s lived now for 65 years. But now she needs a little help. Though most of her kids live not far away, she acknowledges they’re busy with their own families to help her as often as she may need. So she read that the City of Crystal recommended Senior Community Services to send a team to help rake up leaves in her yard in the spring and fall and shovel snow in the winter.
“They get it right down to the blacktop, so it’s really nice,” said Hemken. “It makes it really easy for me to get out of the driveway.”
Senior Community Services is celebrating 75 years this year, and Home Program Director Jon Burkhow said clients like Addie are why they do what they do.
“Our goal is that people can stay in their homes,” said Burkhow. “That’s generally where they want to be as they get older.”
Among the services offered by Senior Community Services is snow removal for senior citizens.
Among the other services the agency provides are technical support–helping seniors connect wireless devices or other electronics that they need to stay in contact or to access services, general repair, installation of safety equipment, and help with more physical household chores like laundry or vacuuming.
“Older adults will contribute partly to the cost, but we give discounts based on the person’s income,” said Burkhow. “We never tell a anybody ‘no.’ They have access to the service, no matter whether then can pay or not. But many people will pay a small amount towards the cost.”
He said the City of Crystal’s support goes beyond its financial contributions to the agency.
“I just think it works much better when we can partner with a city, and they can help us get the word out,” said Burkhow. “We can have a broader reach in the community, so it’s really important to us to be able to partner whenever we can.”
