Dear friends,

The story of volunteer Gordon Best (see sidebar) illustrates the impact a human connection—or the lack of it—can make in a person’s life. Recent research links social isolation and loneliness to higher risks for a variety of medical conditions, including high blood pressure, heart disease, and obesity, as well as mental impairments such as anxiety, depression, and Alzheimer’s disease.

Fostering these human connections is central to the mission of Senior Solutions. Our volunteers and staff work daily to reduce loneliness and isolation and the associated health risks. Last year, 71 of our volunteers provided 5,200 hours of service to folks like Fran—that’s the equivalent of about seven months. In addition, our case managers provided more than 10,000 hours of care coordination, including home visits.

As Senior Solutions prepares to celebrate its 50th anniversary next year, staff members are setting their sights on the next 50 years. We know that by 2030, close to 30 percent of Vermonters will be 65 years old or older. Of that 30 percent, close to 17,500 Vermonters will suffer from Alzheimer’s Disease, and 35,000 other Vermonters—mostly family members—will become their caregivers. These caregivers often provide support 24/7 and are desperately isolated and exhausted. Meeting their needs and those of their loved ones will depend on a mix of government-funded benefit programs, private pay services, and dedicated volunteers like Gordon Best.

One of the ways Senior Solutions is preparing for the realities of aging in Vermont is by providing an exciting new caregiver respite volunteer program set to launch in September. With support from local grants, federal AmeriCorps funds, and donations such as yours, Senior Solutions is training volunteers to provide much needed support to caregivers. At the same time, Senior Solutions’ Vet-to-Vet program continues to thrive, developing a corps of veteran volunteers to match with new friends—just like Gordon and Fran.

Your donation today will help us help older Vermonters by supporting volunteers who gladly give of their time to make a difference in the lives of others. It will also help support caregivers who need respite, so that they can take a breather now and then, nurturing their own physical and mental wellbeing before returning, refreshed, to the selfless work they have taken on.

Warm regards,

Mark Boutwell, Executive Director

Geralyn Kogut, Board President