The senior population across the country, and here in Nevada, is growing.
It's a combination of aging baby boomers and longer life expectancies, and it means a definitive shift in the types of services needed in our community. And a local group working to provide those services is in need of help.
It's called Seniors in Service, a non-profit organization that offers help for seniors in need, but also offers opportunities for active seniors to get involved.
Their most popular offering, the Senior Companion Program, pairs home-bound seniors with people who can help them get around.
"Many of them lose their ability to drive themselves," program Executive Director Mary Brock said, "so they become very dependent on their communities, their neighbors, if they have family, if they're fortunate enough to have family that can take them out, take them shopping."
It's those shopping trips or rides to doctors' appointments that make the Senior Companion Program so popular, but it's also the relief from the isolation that many seniors face after they retire.
Right now, there is a long waiting list: about 100 seniors in our community who are asking for this type of help. So the group is looking for volunteers of any age who have some time to spare. But Brock says, some of their most enthusiastic volunteers are seniors themselves.
"It gives them a lot of purpose in life," Brock said, "and that's what we hear from our volunteers a lot: 'I have something to do. I have something to look forward to.'"
To see the full interview and learn how you can get involved, tune in or set your DVR for Face the State this weekend. It's airing Saturday at 4:30 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. and on Sunday at 9:30 p.m.
