24 THE Courier sun • health • december 1, 2016 for breaking news visit www.qns.com Ask the Commissioner: Stopping Social Isolation Q. I feel bad for seniors who have no family or friends. How can I help? ▶health A. Thank you for wanting to make a difference. Social isolation affects an estimated one in five older adults, and the holiday s can be an especially difficult time. You can help by checking on older relatives and neighbors, but you can also be alert for changes in their routines. For example, mail piling up outside a door or in a mailbox could be a sign that an older person is sick, incapacitated or worse. In a city of almost 9 million people, New York can be a lonely place. One person providing genuine contact can make a significant difference. Social isolation isn’t inevitable. We know how to fix it, if we can identify it. Additionally, you can volunteer with nonprofits and even senior centers. During this season, senior centers hold parties and other events to bring warmth and cheer to their members, many of whom have no one else to celebrate with. The Department for the Aging’s Volunteer Resource Center is conducting a holiday drive to place volunteers at senior centers through Jan. 15. For more information, call the VRC at 212-602-4464 or email [email protected]. Q. What is the city doing to help socially isolated seniors? A. First lady Chirlane McCray recently launched NYC Well, which provides confidential counseling through online chats, text messages or phone. The number is 888-NYC-WELL. This is a wonderful resource for New Yorkers of all ages, including olders. On an agency level, DFTA is participating in the National Association of Area Agencies on Aging’s “Home for the Holidays” campaign with the AARP Foundation. The goal is to raise awareness and to encourage olders to expand their social circles so they can shield themselves from the poor physical and mental health that accompany social isolation. Additionally, through DFTA-funded casemanagement agencies, olders who are confined to their homes receive vital assessments, which include determining their risk of social isolation. Case managers then work to meet clients’ needs. We are working to expand our friendly visiting service for isolated olders. Our home-delivered meals service provides both food and face-to-face contact with the deliverer to olders who are largely confined to their homes. DFTA funds the delivery of about 4.5 million meals a year. Approximately 30,000 olders visit more than 250 DFTA-funded senior centers daily. A DFTAcommissioned Fordham University study found that socialization – or avoiding isolation – was among the five most common reasons that olders gave for attending a center. We’re here for isolated older New Yorkers. They don’t have to be alone. DONNA CORRADO Dept for the Aging
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