Preparing for the 'Silver Tsunami'

POST FALLS — Area senior centers are gearing up for the "Silver Tsunami" this holiday season. If there's ever a time to help seniors in need, the perfect storm is here.

We're entering the cold months and the holiday season as a ton of Baby Boomers are entering the fragile stages of their lives.

Carenet, a local nonprofit with about 100 members — including medical providers, attorneys and others who assist seniors — got the ball rolling for the Post Falls Senior Center's Thanksgiving turkey drive on Friday by donating 18 turkeys.

"It's a hard time for seniors in our community," said Connie Clark, Carenet's secretary. "Because we're coming up on Thanksgiving, we wanted to donate this way. Don't forget our seniors. If you've got a neighbor in need, help them out."

Alison McArthur, the senior center's executive director, said the center expects to prepare between 800 and 1,000 Thanksgiving meals between those who come to the center and seniors who can't leave their homes and receive the meals via Meals on Wheels.

McArthur said about 60 more turkeys are needed, which can be dropped off from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday.

Area senior centers report that their Meals on Wheels requests have drastically increased in just the past year, thus hiking the need for driving volunteers.

McArthur said 432 meals went out the door on Wednesday compared to 120 last year at this time. She said she expects the numbers to only increase in the next year.

Rick Currie, executive director of the Lake City Center in Coeur d'Alene, said that nonprofit is serving about 2,700 for Meals on Wheels compared to 1,500 last year.

"There's a tremendous need out there with the number of shut-ins we are experiencing," he said. "Some of our volunteer drivers are burning out."

McArthur said there are a lot of sad cases with seniors, including a few who have taken toilet paper from the center back to their homes, some who could only donate pennies toward weekly meals and others who try to stretch a single canned food item over multiple meals. Some have skimped on using electricity so they could apply energy assistance funds toward other needs.

"We're pursuing a grant just for personal care items," she said.

McArthur said Meals on Wheels not only helps those in need with nutrition, but the continual contact with drivers is critical because volunteers have came upon seniors who have fallen or needed immediate help.

"It brightens their day to have someone there," McArthur said.