The Goodwill Easter Seals Miami Valley Program Manager came to outline some of the 40 programs and services provided by the organization in its 23-county service area, which stretches from the Ohio River north to Findlay.
For seniors, there’s Vision Services for Independent Living, which is available in 19 of those counties, including Clark and Champaign.
The grant-funded program serves people 55 and older with low vision or blindness and provides assessments, magnifiers and lighting devices, along with training in the home, apartment or senior-living locations. All services are provided at little to no cost to the recipient.
There’s also the Radio Reading program, which provides free, battery-operated radios that bring audio programming to seniors with sight challenges. Hoschouer says the “typical” client is an 85-year old woman with macular degeneration. But she added listeners range in age from 19 to 101. For 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, more than 90 volunteers read local newspapers, magazines and books, and there’s also various live shows that are broadcast over the sub-carriers of the three area radio stations, so a person must have the provided radios to hear the programming.
Other programs for seniors include the Adult Day Service at 100 McCreight Ave. in Springfield, the former St. John’s Nursing Home, which serves people 18 and older with dementia. Adult Support Care is provided to persons with developmental disabilities at seven locations, helping people who “otherwise spend their days at home, alone and isolated.”
There was a great deal of interest during the meeting in the Medical Equipment Loan Program, which provides things like crutches, wheelchairs, walkers, shower benches, etc. for up to three months. Hoschouer says donations of such equipment are accepted at Goodwill stores. It’s part of the outreach services which are provided free of charge.
Goodwill Easter Seals also conducts Orientation and Mobility Training, helping people to learn how to use canes, walkers and assist dogs.
Goodwill Easter Seals Miami Valley is one of six combined operations in the United States. Hoschouer said they provide a variety of programs to people of all ages, including recycling of electronic devices, providing child car seats to those enrolled in the Women, Infants and Children (WIC) program, youth mentoring and employment efforts to break the cycle of homelessness. They even accept worn-out and damaged American flags, which are then forwarded for proper disposal.
More information on Goodwill Easter Seals is available by calling (937)461-4800 and at www.gesmv.org.
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