Compliments of The Messenger:
Medina County’s Office for Older Adults Agency sees an increase
in the number of senior citizens moving to the area.
“There’s a real influx of people moving here from out of state,”
Debra Radecky, Director of the Office of Older Adults, recently
told the Medina County Board of Commissioners.
“Many healthy, active seniors have moved here because their kids
have moved here.” Radecky continued. “We’re seeing new faces on
a weekly basis. Couples and individuals are coming in from New
York and Pennsylvania to get a Buckeye card.”
Recent statistics from the Western Reserve Area on Aging show
a 16% increase in seniors for this county over the next three
years. Radecky told the commissioners of the many widows coming
to Medina to live near their daughters and sons.
“We are looking at how to handle this increase with more programming
to keep up with the new seniors over the next three years.
The Office for Older Adults is now delivering meals to all 17
townships in Medina County.
In July, the agency hired a driver to accommodate the 25 extra
meals being delivered to the homebound, bringing the total to
185 with a waiting list.
Some families, says Radecky, depend upon the delivered meals as
their only source of food. “Mondays are usually the longest days
for our driver,” Radecky said. “Many families haven’t seen anyone
since Friday. Radecky told the commissioners the goal of the agency
is to help seniors stay independent.
Many participants in the program stretch the one meal to compensate
for lunch and dinner.
Numbers indicate most seniors who sign up for delivered meals
stay with the program for the remainder of their lives.
The agency has five drivers to deliver the 185 meals year-round.
The Medina County Sheriff’s Office has offered to pinch-hit in
bad weather if the drivers have difficulties getting the food
out.
A Ph.D.-student from the University of Akron, Lynn Duerr, is working
with area seniors to create a nutrition resource guide listing
all the food sources in the county.
The Office of Older Adults usually has two interns working for
the agency in addition to the five full-time employees. In July,
the Office for Older Adults held a Hawaiian Luau to celebrate
the Fourth.
The agency also held a Christmas in July party with admission
consisting of a new pair of socks.
“We called the Medina County Battered Women’s Shelter and asked
what they needed,” Debra Radecky said. “They said they needed
socks. Sounds goofy but when people leave in the middle of the
night they leave everything behind.”
The agency responded with a “Sock Christmas Tree,” complete with
Santa playing the piano. The result included six bags stuffed
with socks (some attached to Little Golden Books), knee socks,
sports socks, dress socks...
This October, the Office for Older Adults will hold a Fall Festival
along with a staff talent show in November.
For information, call 723-9514 or visit the office at 246 Northland
Drive in the City of Medina.
