By JAN McLAUGHLIN
BG Independent News
A survey of seniors who receive home delivered meals in Wood County shows that while they are nutritionally satisfied, many are lacking in social interaction.
Caleb Johnson, a social services specialist with the Wood County Committee on Aging, presented the results of the survey during a recent meeting of the WCCOA Board. The survey examined several factors determining health, such as access to transportation, “food deserts,” adequate housing, and access to technology.
According to Johnson, the surveys were sent out to the approximately 650 people receiving home-delivered meals from the Wood County Committee on Aging. The survey had a 28% response rate, with the heaviest response rate from white, female, widowed individuals with an average age of 83.
“We found that people are pretty stable in their housing and access to food,” Johnson said.
However, many respondents noted a need for more social interaction. And while many of the recipients said they had access to technology and wifi services, they lacked “digital literacy.”
“They didn’t feel comfortable using it,” Johnson said.
Access to transportation appeared to be less of a problem than predicted, with 30% of respondents noting that as a difficulty for them.
“I thought transportation might be more of an issue,” Johnson said.
Based on the survey results, Johnson said he began looking at programs that could help increase socialization and digital literacy.
To give seniors more frequent contact with others, a “friendly visitor” program is being considered. This program would be volunteer based, with individuals being enlisted to make regular phone calls to interested seniors, or making home visits to chit chat.
While the people who deliver meals to seniors’ homes take time to check on the residents, this program would include another layer of socialization, and could use volunteers not able to take on meal deliveries.
“This might be a different way for people to volunteer,” Johnson said. “Hopefully soon, we’ll get a footing about a friendly visitation program.”
The other program being considered is a digital media literacy training program, with opportunities to expand comfort levels for seniors communicating using computers. The lack of digital literacy often adds to feelings of isolation.
Johnson is studying how best to get the information to seniors at their homes.
“It’s not as easy as sending out the Zoom link,” he said.
