Golden Agers budget shortfall hurts seniors

Recent downturns in income combined with the cost of some needed repairs have left the Whitefish Golden Agers with a looming end-of-year deficit. And with results from a recent quality-of-life survey revealing that loneliness and hunger face many seniors, a budget shortfall is not the sort of news the center hoped to hear at their monthly board meeting.

The $8,400 shortfall is the combination of decreased rental income, the expense of some needed repairs and the cancellation of the Christmas fundraiser. Treasurer Cy Appel noted that long awaited repairs topped the spending list, including a $2,500 roof repair and a $3,000 kitchen upgrade.

“Donations are down and revenue rentals are down,” president Jim Morrell said.

In the past, rental income from family parties, anniversaries and reunions provided a fair income for the Golden Agers, Morrell said.

“That loss of revenue really put us behind,” he said. “We’re figuring out ways to increase rental income and to stimulate donations to take care of the shortfall.”

Hunger and loneliness were persistent issues for seniors, according to the survey. The results were separated into two categories — homebound seniors and non-homebound seniors. The survey reported that 19 percent of seniors missed a meal when they needed one.

While the majority of non-homebound seniors reported a high quality of life, the results from the homebound population revealed relatively low quality of life, with loneliness and even hunger despite the Meals on Wheels program.

Meals on Wheels, which is the centerpiece of the Golden Agers’ programs, provides lunchtime meals to anyone over-60 who cannot make meals for themselves. The program runs five days a week, and weekend meals are available. Need-based and income considerations apply.

About 20-25 meals are delivered Mondays through Fridays. Meals are also served five days a week at the center, and another 11- 20 meals are served daily. Senior volunteers donate thousands of hours each year to ensure the program continues.

Given the choice of rating their quality of life as excellent, good, fair or poor, about 20 percent of the homebound respondents rated their quality of life as poor, while the remaining 80 percent rated it fair.

None of the homebound seniors categorized their quality of life as good or excellent, and half of them reported feeling lonely more than six times over the past month. All of the homebound seniors reported annual incomes of less than $24,000.

A volunteer activities leader is organizing activities based on the results. Exercise, day-trips to nearby scenic areas, history, bird-watching, fishing, and arts and crafts topped the list of desired activities. The board has wrestled with creating programs to counter these results but has struggled to create a plan and program to address loneliness. The board welcomes ideas from the public.

While new activities spring up, getting homebound seniors to these activities can be challenging. Many can’t drive themselves or don’t feel comfortable leaving their home.

As a result, the budget shortfall is particularly alarming in its long-term implications for programs. For many seniors, Meals on Wheels means more than just a day’s nutrition. For homebound seniors, it’s also their only social contact. 

The board has plans for new fundraisers in 2009 to address these problems. In the meantime, the board hopes the community can step forward in December. Donations, activity organizers and fundraising planners are needed.

“Anybody who wants to step forward, we can make a place for them,” Morrell said.

For more information on helping with activities or fundraising, call the Whitefish Golden Agers at 862-4923.