Billings Seniors Need More Help!

Thank you, Billings Gazette, for bringing awareness of the growing population of seniors and the increased need for services in our community. The Meals on Wheels, RSVP program and Resource Center services offered through YCCOA have been vital in helping seniors in our community.

Big Sky Senior Services is a nonprofit organization that helps over 175 seniors in our community through our Senior Helping Hands, Prevention of Elder Abuse and Friends Volunteer programs. The overall goal is to help seniors remain living in their homes as long as possible.

As mentioned in the article, Yellowstone County receives $207,678 from state aging services, of which the Senior Helping Hands program receives $69,292. Our funding goes directly to provide in-home services (homemaking, personal care and nursing) to low income seniors.

It costs our program an average of $2,600 per year to help a senior remain living in their home. Without our services, the alternative for low income seniors could be early nursing home admission that places a burden on taxpayers through Medicare.

Every day we receive calls from seniors in need of our services. Due to our limited resources, they are placed on our growing waiting list. A need for more donations along with a loss in state funding will result in a reduction of services to this growing population. Funding the state aging services is a proactive step to a long-term solution and reduces future costs to taxpayers.

Denise Armstrong, executive director

Big Sky Senior Services, Inc.