By Johnny Duncan

Orlando has long been a popular place for seniors to spend their retirement years. As the years roll by, the need for assistance is recognized by aging seniors in our community and by their families. Finding suitable support used to be quite a challenge, but today Orlando is home to several great in-home and assistant-care facilities to choose from.

One of them, Central Florida Care Management Associates, located on Lawton Road in Orlando, works hard to preserve the independent lifestyle of the older adult. They provide a comprehensive assessment of the individual’s needs and will arrange for all needed support services. “We provide the little things that make a difference so that the older adult can stay at home as long as possible,” says Marsha Lorenz, Executive Director. “We help the elderly person stay independent so that they can ‘age in place’.”

Linda Tappan, a Primary Care Manager with Central Florida Care Management, says that although they prefer to help keep the older adult in their own home, they also provide placement options as needed such as nursing homes and assisted living facilities. “Still, since we have access to resources that others don’t, we try to plan ahead as much as possible in order to meet the needs of the elderly in their homes.”

Central Florida Care Management, a member of the Florida Council on Aging, strictly adheres to the ethical practice standards of the National Association of Professional Geriatric Care Managers. For more information, call 407-571-2378 or email Linda at Linda.Tappan@orhs.org

Another care organization for the elderly that covers the tri-county area is A Second Pair of Hands, Inc. This organization is family-owned and operated and has been in business since 1991. “We are a Homemaker-Companion-Sitter service. We are seniors helping seniors stay in their homes. We will provide meals, run errands, do laundry and light housekeeping while providing companionship,” says Darlene Ragan, founder and CEO. For more information call 407-855-0468.

Other such organizations available in our community to assist the elderly at their homes include Comfort Keepers, 407-814-7070; Granny Nannies of N.A. Inc., 407-682-7758; Home Instead Senior Care, 407-445-8885; Southern Home Care, 407-629-5969; and Quality Care Management, Inc., 407-834-1117.

Orlando also is home to many retirement homes and assisted living facilities including Golden Cove Assisted Living, 407-281-1886; Mariner Health at Conway Lakes, 407-384-8838; and Palm Garden of Orlando, 407-273-6158. In addition to qualified staff at these facilities, some receive additional support from volunteers and church ministries. Life Care Center and The Bridge nursing home residents receive love and support from the nursing home ministry of University Presbyterian Church (all located on Rouse Road). For more information contact the church at 407-384-3300.

To find out about any elderly service in the tri-county area, you can always call 211 for a listing. Also, the American Association of Homes and Services for the Aging (www.aahsa.org) provides a searchable directory for care facilities as well as tips for choosing facilities and services.

Even with the abundance of services for the elderly, more help is needed. The East Orlando area is in need of volunteers to step forward and assist these agencies that are helping the elderly in our community. “Right now, we are in desperate need of transportation services. Lynx provides for the elderly, but the paper work is too much for most elderly and it takes months to get the service,” says Darlene Ragan. “Also, the East side of Orlando is becoming a high Hispanic area. We need to get more English-Spanish classes available to the public so that more volunteers will have the ability to communicate with our older adults.”