NORTHEAST SENIOR ASSISTANCE
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Mission Statement
The mission of Northeast Senior Assistance (NESA) is to provide transportation and other services to enhance the quality of life and independence for seniors. We assist older home-bound persons living in northeast San Antonio, by providing FREE wellness services that enable them to live independently in their own homes for as long as safely possible.
About This Cause
Program Description NESA is a volunteer driver program that fills gaps in traditional senior services. Free services include personal rides to health and nutrition, and nurse visits which are life-sustaining services; and life-enriching attention such as personal calls, and distribution of gifts through our Senior Santa component, which for many seniors, this is the only gift they will receive. Before a client is accepted, we send a nurse to assess their health needs and provide referrals to other services. 1. Organization Description/Background* NESA was founded in 1984 to provide an outreach designed to enhance the dignity of seniors. By 1985, we had 59 clients/12 vol, and now have 425 clients/ 100 vol. Eight of our 12 board members also help clients. We provide personal door-through-door rides to doctors, grocery shopping, pharmacy, minor home repairs, calls, and socialization. We walk them into doctor offices, help fill out forms, wait, then make errands on the way back. Many tell us we are their lifeline. In 2015, we provided 4,200 trips, 6,295 vol hours. We have 3 paid staff; a contracted recruiter; and a contracted nurse to conduct client assessments. In 2015, she completed 122 client visits, and will surpass that in 2016. We partner with area churches and organizations, becoming their outreach to seniors. As a new United Way agency, where the majority of those funds goes towards volunteer recruitment and mileage reimbursement, we envision being able to accommodate the many baby boomers who will need our services. 2. Problem or Need The December 2014 Census Bureau Report identified mobility as the most common disability among older Americans; specifically with independent living, such as visiting doctor offices or shopping. The 2015 White House Conference on Aging renewed Resolution #3 at the 2005 Conference-Transportation Options: Ensure that older Americans have transportation options to retain their mobility and independence. As we age, people face limitations and many must stop driving altogether due to declines in vision, cognitive functioning, and medication use. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety states that 20 states have shorter license renewal periods for drivers age 70+. Many are alone or have grown children who can’t take off from work so often. In 2012, the Alamo Regional Public Transportation Plan indicated that each month 16% seniors have an unmet need for 6 round trips, which totaled 200,000 rides a month. Many seniors cannot access public transportation due to the high costs of taxi rides ($80/round trip); can’t walk far to get to buses; can’t wait 2+ hours for VIA Trans; can’t use Uber or Lyft because they need more help than simply being dropped off. The economics and personal touch of outreaches like NESA are the answer. 3. Fit with Funder's Funding Priorities* Senior Transportation Program improves the welfare and quality of life by getting them to their multiple doctor appointments, their toiletries and nutrition. They are able to stay in their homes (support self-sufficiency) and develop friendships with volunteers (reduces isolation). Our services are ongoing with some getting 6 rides/month to doctors, plus 2-6 shopping trips (provide continuum care). The gifts we deliver also improves their quality of life by showing they are not forgotten. 4. People to be Served* We serve seniors age 60+ who for one reason or another can no longer drive and have no one to help them. They can’t afford taxi service ($80/r.t.) and many need more help than other transportation modes can supply. You simply cannot drop them off. Currently, we have 425 senior clients: 60% age 60-79, 40% age 80+; 77% female; 90% low income; 60% Caucasian, 13% Black, 25% Hispanic, 2% other; ~85% use cane/ walker/portable oxygen; all live in northeast San Antonio. We do not transport those wheelchair-bound, but we can offer our other program services. 5. Program/Project Description* Senior Transportation Program encompasses a multitude of senior services. Seniors call in and request services. We send our Outreach Nurse to assess their situation and make sure they fit the program. She gets paid per visit and provides phone numbers of other services as well. With our aggressive advertising, increase in clients means an increase in nurse visits. We are always in need of more volunteers to handle the volume increase in rides. We send a contracted Program Recruiter out to “find” those volunteers. She makes various presentations at senior fairs, senior centers, corporations, etc. in an effort to recruit more drivers and shoppers. 6. Program/project is ongoing:* The ultimate measures of success are increased client services supported by increased volunteer strength. We measure annual #rides, #volunteer hours, #clients, #volunteers, all of which increase annually. We have expanded our service area four times since 1984. Challenges entail the need for more volunteers and getting the public to choose helping seniors over other groups. The greater the volunteers, the more seniors served; more times we can serve them monthly, creating a higher level of service. 7. How does this program/project fit with your organization's mission?* Without senior transportation, many seniors would have no option but to relocate to an assisted living or nursing facility. Poor eyesight which prevents driving is no reason to be institutionalized prematurely. Our mission is to provide the services that prevent them from turning to assisted living prematurely. Through NESA’s transportation services, seniors are able to get their wellness needs while allowing them to live among their treasured possessions where they feel secure. The Santa component also satisfies our mission of providing socialization that prevents isolation. 9. Any plans to sustain this program/project other than grants?* We partner with area churches who donate various amounts annually. We also receive individual donations from clients, volunteers, and outside supporters. In addition to fundraising, we seek various grants. We can add another fundraiser, but usually revenue is $3K or less. Some years, our revenue may fall putting us at risk for cutting staff and reducing client services. Therefore, while the past few years’ financials look healthy, we know these figures support our long term health and growth. 10. Program/Project Evaluation* We receive many calls and letters from clients expressing their gratitude for what we do (qualitative). With our help, they are able to remain in their homes. Quantitatively, annually we track #new clients, #overall clients, #trips to medical, #grocery trips, #handy helper trips and hours, #telephone reassurance calls, #clients deceased, moved to assisted living, moved out of area, and who no longer need our services, and #active clients receiving gifts delivered by volunteers. Every aspect of our transportation program brings dignity to seniors, making them feel less isolated and forgotten, and the items received are much needed by the low income (qualitative). By December 31, 2016, we expect volunteers to provide about 7,200 hours of service and 5,000 trips which includes but is not limited to 960 shopping trips, 2,300 medical rides, 525 handy helper trips, as well as 300+ gifts delivered, 300 reassurance calls. Plus add at least 200 new clients (up 63% from 2015) and 50 new volunteers (up 85% from 2015). Explain how the program/project will help achieve the target. Senior transportation achieves this target in that it matches a volunteer driver with a senior client to provide various necessary services: takes them to their medical, dental, vision, and lab appointments; grocery shops for them giving them access to nutrition and essential toiletries; provides minor home repairs, delivers gifts and visits with them, thus related to mental well-being.