Last week's devastating ice storm that wreaked havoc in seventeen upstate counties underscores the critical importance of county offices for the aging (COFAs) in assisting older adults in an emergency. Elders or their families who are concerned about being assisted during an emergency may wish to contact their County Office for the Aging. County Offices for the Aging help make these connections with local disaster planning and recovery operations so they do not fall between the cracks during an emergency. To find out the contact number in your community, call the New York State Office for the Aging Help Line at 1-800-342-9871.
The storm left hundreds of thousands of homes with no power, resulted in downed communication lines and closed roads. After the initial storm passed, frigid temperatures swept through placing many vulnerable individuals and families at risk. These conditions were difficult for all involved, but the elderly, especially those living alone or homebound, were particularly vulnerable as home temperatures plunged. There was no way to prepare food and no way to reach out for help. Driving to get to a safer location was limited, or in some cases prohibited.
As power companies and line crews worked tirelessly to restore power, the Red Cross, schools, senior centers and other community sites set up relief stations to help those in need. Friends and neighbors did what they could to help one another as well. The storm proved again, that New Yorkers do what is necessary and work together to get through whatever crisis we face.
Governor David A. Paterson declared a State Disaster Emergency on Saturday and authorized the State Emergency Management Office (SEMO) to coordinate the appropriate State agencies in assisting local governments in taking appropriate action to protect property and to assist those affected local governments and individuals in responding to and recovering from these storms.
County offices for the aging acted swiftly to help their communities get back on their feet. The storm hit just before the weekend, knocking out power to municipalities and government agencies as well. Staff and the directors of several of the county offices for the aging worked throughout the power outage to make sure that vulnerable seniors, whether in institutional settings or their own homes, received on-going help and needed assistance ranging from contacting family to transportation to a safe place.
As a first response, COFA staff called individuals known to them to likely need help in an emergency. These agencies and their network of service providers maintain phone lists of not only the people they serve, but other individuals considered "vulnerable" that may need help in an emergency situation.
Michael J. Burgess, Director of the New York State Office for the Aging said, "I know the work that county offices for the aging do on a daily basis to help many older adults remain in their homes and communities of choice. In times of crisis, like we witnessed with this storm, I'm sure many others experienced firsthand the vital role the county offices for the aging play in keeping seniors safe. These offices perform a critical role in the disaster response efforts in counties across the state. "
Director Burgess further stated, "It is important to also recognize the role of Town Departments of Senior Services that were also assisting their residents and working in conjunction with the COFAs and aging network service providers."
These COFA directors and their staff spent many hours calling homes to check on clients and if they could not get through on the phone, they either drove out to the person's location themselves or dispatched police or other emergency responders to make sure the people where indeed safe. The county offices for the aging, along with their network of service providers, often times are the only contact some individuals have on a daily basis. Through home delivered meals programs, numerous emergency deliveries were made to homebound elderly across the region. They also assisted local housing facilities in making arrangements to move tenants to warming shelters. Many congregate meal sites- mostly known as Senior Centers, not only served the elderly during the storm's aftermath, but served as community warming stations and emergency shelters as well.
In the hardest-hit counties like Columbia and Rennselaer, the area agency directors and their staff went door to door in several outlying communities to make sure that people where safe. They distributed alerts and safety information provided by SEMO regarding safety precautions that needed to be taken when utilizing temporary power through generators and heat via woodstoves, fireplaces, or other portable heating appliances.
"It was about as bad a weather emergency I've ever seen and that includes growing up in Clinton County where we had some doozies and riding out monsoons in Vietnam," said Kary Jablonka, Director of the Columbia County Office for the Aging, who along with his wife Anne Quinn and a secretary were able to make it to the office on Friday.
"Our response was pretty much automatic - call everyone and see if they need help. We divided the list of 323 Home Delivered Meals recipients and worked our way through making phone calls, "Hi this is Kary from the OFA. If no one answered, we called the listed emergency contact person. We were successful with all but 17 who we referred to the Sheriff's Department for a health and welfare visit. We also coordinated with DSS, Public Health, and the Eddy LTHCC Program."
Knowing that Friday's weather forecast included a high probability of an ice storm, Kary and staff delivered shelf-stable "snow meals" along with regular home-delivered meals to recipients on Thursday."
"During the course of the five days we were in Emergency Operations mode, our staff were exemplary. Making phone calls, deliver meals, making reassurance visits, taking people to shelters. They demonstrated the very best of public service - the caring of the aging network." Jablanka said.
Joseph Cybulski, Commissioner of the Rensselaer County Unified Family Service, Department for the Aging said "Once the County Executive Kathy Jimino declared an emergency and directed us to implement our emergency plans to ensure those dependent on the Department for Aging for services, they were appropriately cared for. As well, we were instructed to make Departmental resources available for the overall emergency, resources that would be dispatched from the County Emergency Operations Center (EOC)." He continued: "Our Senior Services Center directors maintained continued contact with seniors living in the community with emergency medical needs and directed services to those in need."
There are 59 county offices for the aging throughout New York State. The offices provide a wide range of programs and services for the elderly. To find out more about the offices and their services check the blue [governmental agencies] pages of your phone book or visit www.aging.ny.gov
