ELDERLY AGENCY INTERVIEW CONTACT INFORMATION: SOUTH RICHMOND ADULT DAY CARE CENTER 1500 HULL STREET RICHMOND, VA. 23224 CENTRAL OFFICE: 804-231-9306 THIS INTERVIEW IS PERTAINING TO ISSUES, SERVICES, AND PROGRAMS THAT INVOLVES THE OLDER CITIZENS IN OUR COMMUNITIES, AS WELL AS DISCUSSION ON MATTERS THAT CONCERN AND COULD BE OF GREAT ASSISTANCE TO THEM. THIS INTERVIEW ALSO DWELLS ON WHAT ADDICTIONAL SERVICES OR NEW SERVICES ARE NEEDED TO PROVIDE FOR THOSE UNMET NEEDS OF OLDER PEOPLE. WHICH I WILL OBTAIN THE NECESSARY INFORMATION TO ANSWER THESE AND OTHER QUESTIONS THAT I FEEL IS OF THE UTMOST IMPORTANCE.
MY AIM IS TO INTERVIEW THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR SANDRA ROLLINS, MSSW. THIS INTERVIEW BEGAN AT 2:00PM JUNE 25, 2010, THROUGH OUR FORMAL INTRODUCTION AND TO EXPLAIN WHO I WAS AND MY REASON FOR BEING THEIR, AFTER THE INTRODUCTION, AND MY DISCLOSURE OF TAKING A GERONTOLOGY CLASS AT REYNOLDS UNDER THE TUTILEDGE OF MS. PAMELA RATLIFF, MSSW. MS. ROLLINS TOLD ME SHE HAS BEEN IN YOUR COMPANY AND KNOWS YOU PERSONALLY. I GAVE MS. ROLLINS A COPY OF THE QUESTIONS I WAS GOING TO ASK TO GIVE HER A HEADS UP. MS.
ROLLINS WAS VERY PROFESSIONAL AND MADE ME FEEL QUITE AT EASE IN THE INTERVIEW, HER ANSWERS WAS VERY UNDERSTANDABLE AND TO THE POINT. I FELT HER EMPATHY FOR THE ELDERLY AND HER SINCERITY AND HONESTY WAS TRANSFERRABLE FROM HER SPEECH AND BODY LANGUAGE AND EMOTIONS, CAME FROM HER GLOWINGLY. I FELT THIS IS ONE OF THE REASONS I WANT TO BE A HELPER IN THE HUMAN SERVICES FIELD TO BE ABLE TO EXPRESS THE WAY I FEEL FROM THE WAY I TALK AND GESTURE. SHE BEGAN TO ANSWER THE QUESTIONS AS SHE FELT THE NEED IN NO SPECIFIC ORDER. HER FIRST QUESTION WAS. 1.
WHAT IS THE AGENCY’S MISSION AND PURPOSE? RESPONSE: OUR MISSION IS TO ENHANCE THE HEALTH AND QUALITY OF LIFE OF OLDER ADULTS AND ADULTS WITH DISABILITIES BY PROVIDING A STRUCTURED SUPPORTIVE AND ENRICHING ENVIRONMENT. ANOTHER TIDBIT IS THAT 35 YEARS AGO FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH IS ONE OF THE FOUNDING ORGANIZATIONS THAT STARTED THE FIRST MULTI PURPOSE CENTER FOR HELPING THE ELDERS AND MANY OTHER INDIVIDUALS IN THE STATE OF VIRGINIA. HERE AT 15TH AND HULL STREET AT THE SITE OF THIS ORGANIZATION FOR ADULTS DAY CARE CENTER HISTORY WAS MADE HERE. 2.
HOW IS IT FUNDED? IT WAS FUNDED BY DONATIONS, SENIOR CONNECTIONS, ALSO HAS FEDERAL FUNDING 501 C, ALSO BY WRITING GRANTS TO LARGE CORPORATIONS. 3. WHAT OTHER AGENCIES DO YOU HAVE FORMAL LINKAGE WITH? SENIOR CONNECTIONS, RBHA AND WELLNESS GROUP, SACRED HEART CENTER, VA. ADULT DAY SERVICES ASSOCIATION, EPHESUS JUNIOR ACADEMY, FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH OF SOUTH RCHMOND, AND ST. STEPHENS EPISCOPAL CHURCH, AND PHILANTHROPY BY DESIGN, SOCIAL SERVICES, DMAS, HEALTH DEPT. AND FIRE DEPT. 4. WHAT IS THE IMPACT OF THE AGENCY’S SERVICES ON THE TARGET POPULATION?
I FEEL THE IMPACT IS FELT BY THOSE WHO NEED AND UTILIZE OUR SERVICES, AND CAREGIVERS AND CARETAKERS ARE IMPACTED THE MOST, FOR THEY SEE AND EXPERIENCE THE IMPACT AS WELL AS OUR ELDERLY WHO BENEFIT THE MOST. 5. IN YOUR OPINION, WHAT IS SOME OF THE MOST CRITICAL PROBLEMS FACING OLDER ADULTS TODAY? THE MOST CRITICAL PROBLEM IS AFFORDABLE TRANSPORTATION ALSO EYEGLASSES, DENTURES, AND HEARING AIDS FOR THESE ITEMS ARE NOT COVERED BY MEDICAID OR MEDICARE. 6. HOW WELL ARE THESE PROBLEMS BEING ADDRESSED BY CURRENT PROGRAMS AND SERVICES? THEY ARE NOT REALLY BEING ADDRESSED BECAUSE OF THE LACK OF FUNDING. THAT IS THE BOTTOM LINE. . WHAT NEW SERVICES OR ADDICTIONAL RESOURCES ARE NEEDED TO PROVIDE FOR THOSE UNMET NEEDS OF OLDER PEOPLE? TO MY KNOWLEDGE WE HAVE THE SERVICES BUT THEY ARE UNDER FUNDED AND THE ADDICTIONAL RESOURCES WILL BE NEEDED TO HELP WITH AFFORDABLE TRANSPORTATION, AND THE VERY MUCH NEEDED MEDICAL COVERAGE FOR EYEGLASSES AND DENTURES AND HEARING AIDS, THESE HAVE BEEN UNMET NEEDS FOR A LONG PERIOD OF TIME. WE DEFINITELY NEED LEGISTRATION TO HELP OVERCOME THESE MUCH NEEDED SERVICES. IN CLOSING I THANK MS. SANDRA ROLLINS, MSSW, FOR HER TIME AND ASSISTANCE IN THIS VERY DIRE MATTER. I REMAIN ESTEEMLY, RODNEY COBBS
