LatinaLista — There’s a program in Nashville, TN called “Community Without Walls.” The purpose of the program is to help senior citizens stay in their homes longer before having to give up their independence to live in a nursing home or assisted living center.
It’s comprised of organizing neighbors to look in and help seniors who live alone. Next month, the program will expand into a new neighborhood which is home to predominantly Latino seniors.
According to an article on Tennesean.com, a 2007 report by the Administration on Aging found that the percentage of Latinos 65 and older living with relatives is almost twice that of the overall 65-and-older population.
And while that may be true, we also know, albeit anecdotally, that there are many Latino seniors living by themselves as well.
The Nashville program underscores the growing need in the Latino community to find alternative solutions to help in caring for our growing population of aging parents and grandparents as more and more Latino families get caught up with their busy lives.
Any program that can expand the network of support for seniors is a good thing and one that should be implemented in more neighborhoods.
