Neighbors helping neighbors
Midvale group aids elderly with day-to-day tasks
By Danielle Sottosanti
Arizona daily star
Tucson, Arizona | Published: 08.17.2006
advertisementSports teams may give trophies to their MVPs, but the residents of the Midvale Park Neighborhood give their elderly MVPs a helping hand.
The Midvale Park Neighborhood Association recently received a $2,500 grant from People, Resources, Organizations in Support of Neighborhoods (PRO Neighborhoods) to start Midvale Park Seniors.
''We call it MVPs. We're playing on the fact that they're the most important people in the neighborhood, just like the most valuable people on a team,'' Midvale Park Neighborhood Association President Joseph Miller said.
Seniors pass down community history to younger generations, for example, he said.
Miller is also a coordinator for Midvale Park Seniors.
The group plans to help elderly neighbors with small but essential living tasks such as going to the grocery store, going to doctors' appointments and even some light housework. ''Just do the little things,'' Miller said.
Though the group will help in local assisted-care homes, ''What we're really focusing on are people who are living on their own,'' he said.
Many of these people are elderly women, 50 percent of whom live alone, says Carol Ostrander of the Pima Council on Aging.
Elderly women who must suddenly live on their own after their husbands die often need assistance, Miller said.
Surviving spouses may suddenly find themselves forced to complete tasks totally foreign to them, such as changing oil in a car or balancing a checkbook.
Midvale Park Seniors focuses on helping senior citizens in the Midvale Park Neighborhood, which includes homes south of West Irvington Road and west of I-19, with the city limits as the southern and western boundaries, Miller said.
The group is one of the 30 programs in the Tucson area that make up the Pima Council on Aging's Neighbors Care Alliance, designed to help neighborhoods and faith communities aid senior citizens.
About a year ago, Ostrander, the Neighbors Care Alliance's outreach coordinator, introduced the concept of the alliance to the Midvale Park Neighborhood Association, Miller said.
The idea of neighbors helping neighbors really struck a chord with the association, as it had been previously working to help youths in the neighborhood.
''We try to promote good will in the neighborhood, and we try to master the neighborhood's needs,'' said Lucia Vindiola, vice president of the neighborhood association.
''We have quite a few seniors here,'' she said.
In addition to being active in the community, Vindiola cares for her two parents at home.
''Lucia is a perfect example of the people in Midvale Park who are either taking care of children, taking care of parents or, as in Lucia's case, taking care of both,'' Miller said.
Vindiola understands the needs of seniors as well as what caretakers like herself need to care for their parents while caring for themselves and the rest of their family.
Transportation is among senior citizens' foremost needs, said Ostrander.
''Oftentimes doctors are on the other side of town,'' she said.
Elderly people who live alone may also become isolated, so the sense of community ?— the kind Midvale Park Seniors provides ?— is also important to their well-being, Ostrander said.
''It's a two-way street.''
Elderly people who require transportation help from neighbors may in turn be able to make friendly calls to other seniors who live alone, just to ask, ''How are you doing?'' Miller said.
This small gesture of kindness helps both sides reconnect to the community, he said.
Miller is proud that Midvale Park is one of the many neighborhoods around town that are addressing the needs of seniors.
''It's a neighborhood. We're neighbors helping neighbors,'' he said.
By Danielle Sottosanti
Midvale group aids elderly with day-to-day tasks
By Danielle Sottosanti
Arizona daily star
Tucson, Arizona | Published: 08.17.2006
advertisementSports teams may give trophies to their MVPs, but the residents of the Midvale Park Neighborhood give their elderly MVPs a helping hand.
The Midvale Park Neighborhood Association recently received a $2,500 grant from People, Resources, Organizations in Support of Neighborhoods (PRO Neighborhoods) to start Midvale Park Seniors.
''We call it MVPs. We're playing on the fact that they're the most important people in the neighborhood, just like the most valuable people on a team,'' Midvale Park Neighborhood Association President Joseph Miller said.
Seniors pass down community history to younger generations, for example, he said.
Miller is also a coordinator for Midvale Park Seniors.
The group plans to help elderly neighbors with small but essential living tasks such as going to the grocery store, going to doctors' appointments and even some light housework. ''Just do the little things,'' Miller said.
Though the group will help in local assisted-care homes, ''What we're really focusing on are people who are living on their own,'' he said.
Many of these people are elderly women, 50 percent of whom live alone, says Carol Ostrander of the Pima Council on Aging.
Elderly women who must suddenly live on their own after their husbands die often need assistance, Miller said.
Surviving spouses may suddenly find themselves forced to complete tasks totally foreign to them, such as changing oil in a car or balancing a checkbook.
Midvale Park Seniors focuses on helping senior citizens in the Midvale Park Neighborhood, which includes homes south of West Irvington Road and west of I-19, with the city limits as the southern and western boundaries, Miller said.
The group is one of the 30 programs in the Tucson area that make up the Pima Council on Aging's Neighbors Care Alliance, designed to help neighborhoods and faith communities aid senior citizens.
About a year ago, Ostrander, the Neighbors Care Alliance's outreach coordinator, introduced the concept of the alliance to the Midvale Park Neighborhood Association, Miller said.
The idea of neighbors helping neighbors really struck a chord with the association, as it had been previously working to help youths in the neighborhood.
''We try to promote good will in the neighborhood, and we try to master the neighborhood's needs,'' said Lucia Vindiola, vice president of the neighborhood association.
''We have quite a few seniors here,'' she said.
In addition to being active in the community, Vindiola cares for her two parents at home.
''Lucia is a perfect example of the people in Midvale Park who are either taking care of children, taking care of parents or, as in Lucia's case, taking care of both,'' Miller said.
Vindiola understands the needs of seniors as well as what caretakers like herself need to care for their parents while caring for themselves and the rest of their family.
Transportation is among senior citizens' foremost needs, said Ostrander.
''Oftentimes doctors are on the other side of town,'' she said.
Elderly people who live alone may also become isolated, so the sense of community ?— the kind Midvale Park Seniors provides ?— is also important to their well-being, Ostrander said.
''It's a two-way street.''
Elderly people who require transportation help from neighbors may in turn be able to make friendly calls to other seniors who live alone, just to ask, ''How are you doing?'' Miller said.
This small gesture of kindness helps both sides reconnect to the community, he said.
Miller is proud that Midvale Park is one of the many neighborhoods around town that are addressing the needs of seniors.
''It's a neighborhood. We're neighbors helping neighbors,'' he said.
By Danielle Sottosanti
