Finding Resources When Assistance is Needed
What would you do if you found you were falling more often than usual, or your arthritis was causing you difficulty in cooking and cleaning, or you have suffered a stroke but are now back home and are finding it hard to continue living your accustomed life? Where could you turn to seek help/assistance? Bellingham and Whatcom County are fortunate to have a considerable number of non-profits, private agencies, and governmental agencies available to assist older adults to remain at home or to find affordable living places. Without offering assessment or recommendation, here are several agencies with phone numbers/web sites and brief note of what they offer.
· Northwest Regional Council (600 Lakeway Drive, www.nwrcwa.org )
Aging and Disability Resources provides information about In-Home Care, Medical Insurance, Caregiver Support, Housing, Residential Care Options, Family Caregiver Support Program, and General Resources (e.g., “How to Hire In-Home Helpers)”.
· Whatcom Council on Aging (whatcomcoa.org) at 515 Halleck Street). Two future programs: June 9, What’s Next: Planning Ahead for your Healthcare & Legacy. October 6, What’s Next: Exploring your Medicare Options. Attendance is free. This is also the location of the Bellingham Senior Activity Center.
· Bellingham Senior Activity Center on Halleck Street. Place to have lunch, socialize with others, exercise in the fitness area, and take part in various educational programs.
· PeaceHealth Home Health: (peacehealth.org/services/home-and-community) Broad range of personalized clinical and rehabilitative services to patients in their own home. Patients receive monitoring of complex conditions and health concerns, treatments for acute illness, physical and occupational therapy, and pain management.
· Opportunity Council: Community Resource Center, 1111 Cornwall,
360-734-5121. Services relate to housing, food and nutrition, education and childcare, home and energy, and home repairs program.
· Signature Healthcare at home: SignatureHCH.com), 459 Stuart Rd, Bellingham
(provides home health servicesin-home assessment with local office. Home Care Planning Guide. www.brightstar.com
· Right at Home in Home Care & Assistance (international home care organization providing care to seniors to maintain independence). 114 Magnolia St, STE 107.
· Alzheimer’s Association, alz.org 800.272.3900 e.g., Home Safety Checklist, What Do We Know About Preventing Alzheimer’s Disease, and ALZ Talk on YouTube.
· BrightStar Care of Bellingham/Mount Vernon: 2211 Rimland Drive, Suite 405, Bellingham. Brightstarcare.com/Bellingham-mount-vernon. Can schedule free-in-home assessment with local office. Home Care Planning Guide. www.brightstar.com
· Community education resources: Bellingham Technical College, Whatcom Community College, Northwest Indian College, and Western Washington University (Academy for Lifelong Learning).
Note: available at July picnic: multiple copies of “Whatcom County Senior Resources”, “Medication Awareness Handbook for Older Adults”, and Cascadia Daily News special: “Healthy Aging: Your Guide to Good Living”.
Vibrant Senior Options: Resource Guide – Health, Housing and Happenings.
“Vision is to provide a Magazine with articles to inspire and a Resource Guide to inform.” Published in Burlington, WA. 360-856-9023. There is a subscription cost. Bellingham Library may have copies available in lower level (main library).
“The Aging Well Whatcom Blueprint represents a community vision for Whatcom County becoming a place with the culture, physical infrastructure, social supports, and services for all of us to age well. Covering six focus areas (Cultural Shift, Information & Navigation, Housing, Intergenerational Community, Transportation, and Wellness & Healthcare), it includes corresponding community visions, desired outcomes, key challenges, assets and resources, and strategies for collectively moving toward our vision. The Blueprint is not about specific programs and services, but rather about key elements to design and foster a community that meets the diverse needs of people of all ages.” https://www.agingwellwhatcom.org/blueprint
Link to Health Notes: https://wwura.wwu.edu/health-notes