In-Home Services
Dorchester Seniors, Inc. In-Home Care Aides provide Level I home care services to seniors wishing to age in place independently but due to physical or medical limitations are unable to perform light housekeeping chores. Our mission is to assist seniors in maintaining a safe and healthy living environment. Typical duties include changing linen, washing laundry and dishes, sanitizing bathrooms and kitchens, discarding outdated or spoiled leftover food, dusting, vacuuming, sweeping and mopping. HCA's may also perform limited errand running and grocery shopping for clients lacking adequate transportation resources. Cooking services are provided for clients who are nutritionally at risk.
Physical assistance such as transferring, dressing, or bathing is not included in the program, however HCA's can provide standby and verbal reassurance to clients or call for help in case of emergency. Home care clients 60 and older usually receive between 2 and 3 hours of service on designated days once a week. Services are provided free of charge however clients have an opportunity to make voluntary contributions or donations to share in the cost and make services available to additional seniors in need.
DSI provides approximately 950 hours of services to approximately 110 clients throughout Dorchester and small pockets of Berkeley and Charleston Counties in a typical month, equating to around $19,000.00 if purchased through a private Home Care business.
Dorchester Seniors, Inc. prepared and served over 25,000 meals in our congregate (group) dining rooms in 2009. Our commercial kitchen is staffed with experienced cooks, servers and kitchen assistants who love cooking great meals. A professional nutritionist prepares a schedule of tasty, healthy meals using high quality lean meats, many varieties of vegetables, ripened fruit and home-made desserts. All meals are served with fresh 2% milk.
Meals "on wheels" are delivered 5 days a week, except holidays, to those who qualify and are unable to prepare a hot, nutritious meal for themselves. Meal preparation begins at 5:00 am for the home delivered meals and then continues for our daily congregate groups of about 100 center members.
"Did you know that 55,792 fresh, hot meals were delivered to needy seniors of Dorchester County in 2009."
Our gracious volunteers help load four mini-vans with coolers before hitting the road for an enjoyable morning of delivering meals to smiling, appreciative seniors. Staff drivers and a volunteer riding "shotgun" walks to meal to the front door of the home. Hand-baked "mini" birthday cakes are baked by volunteers and delivered to members on their special day.
Dorchester Seniors, Inc. provides transportation to and from our centers for those seniors unable to get here by other means. Whether unable to drive, or lacking the funding necessary to purchase and maintain a reliable vehicle, qualified members will be picked up at their front door and dropped off under our dry and shady portico.
DSI has four, 14 passenger mini-buses driven by our courteous staff of experienced drivers. The buses leave our centers at 8:00 am for pick up and return in about an hour. Our staff greets the members at the front door with smiles and information about the days activities. Buses depart the centers after the congregate meal is finished, around 12:45, and make the reverse trip to homes, apartments and retirement facilities throughout the county.
Riding in our climate controlled bus is a great way to relax and read the paper on your way to the center. Our buses are handicap accessible for those in need. All of this is provided at no charge to qualified seniors who reside in Dorchester County. Due to high demand, there is limited seating on the buses and there is often a waiting list for riders. Call our center nearest you for more information.
Dorchester Seniors, Inc. staff are always eager to provide you with helpful information at your request. If you are new to the area or just need some help finding local services that benefit the senior population, we have resources not always found in the yellow pages or through a friend or family member. Give us a call or drop by one of our centers. You can also search this web page.
Dorchester Seniors, Inc. has a well stocked gift shop in our Summerville Center. All of the items in the shop are hand made by seniors in our classes or on their own time. Browse through paintings, pottery, needlework, woodwork, stained glass and many other specialty creations and you can surely find something for that special person on your shopping list. A center volunteer operates the shop from 9:00am until 4:00pm on days that the center is open .
 |
 |