The West Ouachita Senior Center offers a range of services to help seniors maintain their independence while aging in place.
Seniors with access to transportation are more likely to be independent in their daily lives, according to West Monroe Director of Community Services Vicki Hilbun.
Hilbun also serves as the director for the West Ouachita Senior Center where transportation is a service fror seniors. .
“One of the things we believe is most helpful to seniors is providing public transportation that allows them to have access to vital destinations that allow them to be more independent,” said Hilbun.
Hilbun explained that seniors need to have access to sustaining activities such as attending medical appointments, which can include cancer treatments and dialysis.
The senior center also offers seniors an opportunity to attend luncheons that give seniors chances to socialize and eat, according to Hilbun.
“We have a congregant meal site that we work with partnership with Ouachita Counseling on Aging, and we’re able to transport many seniors that would not have a daily meal to our meal site, so that they’re able to have socialization and also participate in that daily meal program,” said Hilbun.
The senior center also has an aging advocate on staff that helps seniors connect to social service programs such as Medicaid, Medicare, food stamps and AARP income tax filing, according to Hilbun.
Hilbun also added that the senior center offers USDA Food Commodity distributions, crisis interventions and volunteer programs to help seniors get involved with the community.
