“In all of the grants that I write there is some element of companionship. Even if the core service is financial management, they’re still working with our staff. So we’re providing them with someone to talk to, someone they know really cares about them.”
If there’s one thing I know for sure, it’s that all of us are going to be old someday. Yet, we don’t seem to give the elderly the amount of respect or attention that we would most likely want for our future selves. The is unfortunate socially, but can become a real predicament when it comes to looking at and tackling the problems that face senior citizens today. Trying to raise money for educating children in a third world country? Here’s my credit card. Trying to raise money for the elderly? Doesn’t quite have the same ring to it. This is the uphill battle that today’s guest, Meg Barhite, has to face in her career. She loves the elderly and will explain what her company does to help.
“It is far more cost efficient to provide these services to someone in their own home than to have them living in a nursing home full time.”
“We pick out a prom theme, superheroes, Caribbean, etc… People come in by the busload and we have lunch and dancing. Everybody gets a corsage when they come in. We do king and queen, it’s a blast!”
Interview Contents
3:00 - The non-profit Meg works for.
5:30 - Why not have the elderly go to nursing homes?
9:00 - The things Meg does in her role.
10:45 - Where the money comes from.
11:45 - Elderly care vs. other non-profits in terms of fundraising and popularity.
14:00 - What makes for good and great volunteers.
16:15 - Program development.
19:45 - Elderly feedback and ideas.
22:15 - Single vs. married seniors.
23:45 - Trying to market services to the elderly.
26:30 - How to help the rapidly growing elderly population
28:45 - The Senior Prom!
30:30 - Other events.
32:00 - The most necessary service the elderly need.
33:00 - Meg’s desire to work with the elderly.
35:30 - The biggest challenges facing the elderly population.
40:00 - Advice.
Links
THIS EPISODE WAS MADE WITH THE SUPPORT OF
Kevin Cole
Marcus Batson
Roxanna
Michelle & Jim Wortner
Janelle Swanson
Jimmy Seymour
