As people grow older, they may find themselves faced with difficult life transitions. The support they once had from those around them may change, and they may reach a point where they need to let go of the past, even if they are not emotionally prepared to do so. For those who are coping with events and transitions which are new them, and feel they need additional support, Seniors Helping Seniors can help. They provide supportive emotional support in an objective but caring manner that can help difficult times feel a bit less stressful.
Seniors Helping Seniors is an organization that provides a variety of service to those in their golden years who need help. They understand it can be hard for people to ask for help, especially if they have been independent for so many years. Their “helpers” are also seniors, so they understand the challenge of admitting you can not handle everything on your own. They are also familiar with many of the life transitions during the later stages of life. They offer warmth and understanding, as well as experience and wisdom. This means the person helping you will be familiar with your circumstances, and not a cold stranger “trained” to provide services.
Seniors Helping Seniors is located in over 20 states. They provide a variety of services, ranging from manual labor to companionship. From cooking and shopping, to mowing the lawn and offering emotional support, Seniors Helping Seniors can handle a number of tasks that most service providers would deal with, but they do so with compassion and understanding. They believe what they offer is “like getting a little help from your friends.”
The later years of a person’s life can be the most challenging, but they do not have to be. In your golden years, you may find that your physical inability to do things lessens the joy with which you greet each day. The founder of Seniors Helping Seniors, Kiram Yocum, was able to compare the senior care situation in the United States with her home country of India, and she realized that people were often put in nursing homes in the United States merely out of convenience. Knowing people would be more comfortable and happier remaining in their own homes as long as possible, she created a team of people that would enable this to occur for as many people as possible.
Yocum also understood that people are more comfortable asking for help from those who have an understanding of their situation. There are a number of life transitions seniors face to which their children, grandchildren, or acquaintances are unable to relate. Those in the prime of their lives do not understand the trauma and loneliness of losing a spouse and close friends. As seniors see those around them moving on, they not only must deal with the emotional issues, but the practical ones, as well. A man whose wife has laundered his clothes his entire life may not have the life skills or the emotional motivation to handle this task now that she is gone. A lady who spent weekends playing bingo with her best friend may have a tough time getting through Saturday night once her companion has passed. Seniors Helping Seniors can fill the practical void these events leave, and they can do so in a way that also provides emotional support and understanding.
Seniors may also find themselves in a housing situation that is no longer practical. It can be a daunting task packing up your lifetime home and moving. You may find children less supportive than you would like, as they too may have emotional ties to the situation. The folks at Seniors Helping Seniors can assist with the logistics of moving, and they are able to relate to the emotions you are experiencing. They can work through life transitions with you and offer an ear for listening as well as a hand for helping. Ed Cotter, one of the owners of the Seniors Helping Seniors Southwest region office, believes it is easier for seniors to ask for and accept help from other seniors because they understand each other. In his words, this understanding is “… the heart of Seniors Helping Seniors!”
If you find yourself or your loved one in a situation where life has changed and things are not what they used to be, Seniors Helping Seniors may be able to help. They are able to match you with a companion that will fit your personality and offer a unique understanding of your situation. If you are searching for a way to build a life that works for you, speak with someone at Seniors Helping Seniors.
