GREENFIELD — An expo to encourage county seniors to learn about services that will help them remain independent is planned for Wednesday.
Hancock County Senior Services, 1870 Fields Blvd., will host the Senior Services Expo from 9 a.m. until noon; the event features a free continental breakfast, flu shots available for purchase and a vendor fair with a variety of area and regional nonprofit organizations that serve county senior citizens.
Organizers hope the inaugural event will increase area seniors’ knowledge of nonprofit organizations that provide services from respite care to legal help.
While those who attend munch on a breakfast meal provided by Springhurst Health Campus, a Greenfield assisted-living facility, they will have the opportunity to meet with different organizations and ask questions about their services, said Kit Paternoster, volunteer coordinator.
The expo aims to help senior citizens not only benefit from local services but find ways to connect with their communities.
One local organization represented at the expo will both seek volunteers and spread knowledge of its services. Meals on Wheels of Hancock County serves about 125 clients per year, providing more than 19,000 hot meals to clients in their homes.
Meals on Wheels officials are prepared to accept new volunteers for meal delivery or help those who attend figure out if they qualify for the meal service, said Kathleen Vahle, Meals on Wheels of Hancock County executive director.
A State Health Insurance Program counselor will be on hand to answer questions about Medicare and other health insurance programs available to seniors and low-income individuals. SHIP is a free and impartial health counseling program provided by the Indiana Department of Insurance for Medicare beneficiaries, according to the state website.
While there will not be a private area for people to fill out applications, they are welcome to ask questions and take home materials to fill them out later, said Diane Schopp, Senior Services administrative assistant.
Event organizers hope to connect seniors with services and benefit programs that can make their lives easier, especially considering many attendees likely live on a fixed income, Schopp said.
She pointed to an energy assistance effort from the Interlocal Community Action Program as one example. The program, a federally funded grant designed to assist low-income families with the cost of home energy, pays a benefit directly into clients’ utility accounts to help offset the higher cost of heat in the winter, she said.
Established in 1978, Hancock County Senior Services provides in-home, non-medical support services to people age 60 and older, to those of any age with disabilities, and particularly to low-income residents. The expo fits nicely in the organization’s motto: to keep these groups living independently, organizers said.
“We want to expose seniors to as many services as possible, so they know where to go if they need help,” Schopp said.
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Senior Services Expo
When: 9 a.m. to noon Wednesday
Where: Hancock County Senior Services, 1870 Fields Boulevard
Who’s invited: Anyone interested in social services or organizations for senior citizens
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The Senior Services Expo will host a variety of vendors, including:
- Meals on Wheels of Hancock County, 1133 W. Main Street, Suite C, Greenfield, which aims to help the citizens of Hancock County maintain an independent lifestyle through the delivery of nutritious meals in accordance with prescribed dietary needs.
- Veterans Benefits Administration, an organizational element of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs that provides financial and other forms of support and benefits to veterans and their dependents.
- Indiana Legal Services Senior Law Project, a nonprofit law firm that provides free civil legal assistance to eligible low-income people throughout the state of Indiana.
- Interlocal Community Action Program Inc. Energy Assistance Program, a federally funded grant designed to assist low-income families with the high cost of home energy.
- Kenneth Butler Memorial Soup Kitchen, 202 E. Main Street, which provides lunch and dinner Monday through Friday to the community free of charge.
- State Health Insurance Program, whose counselors will be on hand to answer questions about Medicare, Medicare Advantage, Medicare Supplement insurance, Medicaid, long-term care insurance, prescription coverage and low-income assistance programs.
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