Getting the help you need in later life can be essential to improving your quality of life. For many, the family and friends around them will help as much as they can but around busy lives, it can be hard to find the time, and you don’t want to put pressure on them for extra assistance.
If you are looking for some aid, we list some non-profit organizations in the US that can help senior citizens who might be of benefit.
National Council on Aging
The National Council on Aging walks hand-in-hand with our older generation and seems like a fitting organization to lead this blog post. They provide a wealth of information for senior citizens, from health advice to scam avoidance techniques. Throughout recent history, they’ve led the fight for senior rights and have been major advocates for change. They also offer a directory of the professionals and aging services around the country that can help a person in need, whatever their issue. For a first stop, the National Council on Aging can offer a great resource for those who are looking for help.
Talking more about their mission, they explain: “We were the first national voice for older adults. We helped end mandatory retirement. We advocated to secure Medicare, Medicaid, and the Older Americans Act. Local organizations turned to us for support as they served older adults every day. And we built digital tools that empower older adults with knowledge.
“Now, we’re stepping forward to do even more. Americans are living longer, but far too many are being left behind without the resources to age with dignity.
“We’re changing that.”
Learn more about the National Council on Aging
Meals on Wheels America
Whether it’s losing the ability to drive to the grocery store, reduced mobility meaning you rely on aids like a stair chair lift, or a lack of human connection, there are many reasons why our next suggestions might come in useful. Cooking might be a beloved pastime, but for many, it’s a tiresome and challenging task and can be hard to complete on a daily basis.
Meals on Wheels America means this struggle doesn’t need to continue. Being able to bring seniors not only meals and groceries but some interaction, Meals on Wheels ensures that no one needs to suffer in silence or alone. With 5,000 independently-run local programs, you can find a service in your area that can help you.
Learn more about Meals on Wheels America
Alzheimer’s Foundation of America (AFA)
Alzheimer’s can be life-changing and not only affect one person but their whole network. If you or a family member have recently been diagnosed, putting practices in place early can make a big difference but there is a lot of information to find. The Alzheimer’s Foundation of America can help to make it all a little easier. Offering education and support to both those living with the disease and their family and caregivers, for those who feel like they can’t go through it alone they make sure you don’t have to.
Honor Flight Network
Life for senior veterans can be hard, with the men and women who have served this country sharing an experience that’s hard for those who haven’t to truly understand. Once your time in the military is done, it can feel as though the main chapter of your life is over, and, for those located more remotely, being able to pay honor to those lost during the war they fought in can be a low-key affair.
That’s where Honour Flight Network comes in. For over 15 years they’ve worked to give veterans the chance to commemorate properly. Arranging flights, free of charge, for them to visit Washington, DC, and the memorial memorializing their war. As well as that, they’ll ensure a hero’s welcome is arranged and a guardian scheme means they’ll be escorted wherever they go.
Describing their history, they explain: “The Honor Flight Network was formed in 2005 by Jeff Miller and Earl Morse with a mission of honoring our nation’s veterans by bringing them to Washington, DC to visit the memorials and monuments dedicated to their service and sacrifice.”
Learn more about Honour Flight Network
Pets for the Elderly
A pet can offer an unrivaled level of companionship for those who need it. Whether a senior couple who want to add some excitement to their homelife after their children have fled the nest or a widower who needs someone to give their love to, a pet can be the solution to many issues.
Pets for the Elderly help provide companionship for life through pet ownership, not only helping people who might be suffering with isolation or loneliness but helping save animals who would otherwise be destined to see out their days in a shelter.
Explaining more about what they do, Pets for the Elderly explain: “The Pets for the Elderly Foundation helps pay the fees to participating animal shelters throughout the United States for senior citizens (age 60 and over) who adopt a companion dog or cat from a participating shelter.”
Learn more about Pets for the Elderly
Friend to Friend America
Loneliness and isolation can be a real problem, and even for seniors with friends and family around it can still set in due to busy schedules and distance. However, Friend to Friend America is another organization that works to help make the burden a little easier. They train volunteers around America to become friends for seniors who might need a visit, and anyone can apply themselves for a visitor or a family member or loved one.
Learn more about Friends to Friend America
Non-profit organizations that help senior citizens
- National Council on Aging
- Meals on Wheels America
- Alzheimer’s Foundation of America
- Honor Flight Network
- Pets for the Elderly
- Friends to Friend America
Life can be hard for some people, but these organizations make it that little bit easier. We hope you are able to find the help you need, and for any mobility needs, feel free to reach out to us to find out how a mobility aid might help.
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