tvc.dsj.org | October 8, 2019
Will You Still Need Me?
By Gregory Kepferle
Chief Executive Officer
Catholic Charities of Santa
Clara County and President,
Charities Housing
Maybe it’s because my beard is
getting grayer, or maybe it’s because I
recently had a birthday where I was ser-
enaded with a Beatle’s song including
the lyrics, “Will you still need me, will
you still feed me…” If you are hum-
ming along, you know what I mean.
Regardless, I have been reflecting
lately on what it means to get older in
our society. By some measures, seniors
are healthier and living longer than in
previous generations.
At the same time, more seniors
are living alone and in deep poverty.
With the aging of the Baby Boomer
generation, there will be more seniors
and family members needing support
navigating the aging process, financial
security, social security and retirement
benefits, wellness and health care,
insurance, food, and housing. In our
individualistic society a great challenge
for many seniors is not just survival,
but that of social isolation and the need
for community.
And perhaps, even more, the desire
“to be of use.”
programs at Saint Francis of Assisi
Parish in San José and at First United
Methodist Church in Sunnyvale.
Catholic Charities provides a strong
sense of community, enrichment and
wellness activities for seniors at East-
“Will you still need me, will you still feed me…”
At Catholic Charities, we serve over
12,000 seniors a year.
We are the Long-Term Care Om-
budsman for each senior and disabled
person in the hundreds of nursing
homes and board and care facilities
in the county. Thanks to our highly-
trained staff and volunteers (including
many seniors themselves) we protect
the dignity and the rights of residents,
trouble-shoot and mediate conflicts.
We provide a break for caregiv-
ers and help seniors with disabilities
stay safe and engaged during the
day through our two adult day care
side Neighborhood Center and John
XXIII Multiservice Center in San José.
(These are such joyful communities. Be
ready to dance if you visit either site.)
We also provide seniors nutritious hot
noon meals with the help of generous
volunteers like those from the Order of
Malta and high school students from
Catholic schools. We provide Geriatric
Aide training to help workers get jobs
helping seniors through in-home care
or adult day care.
Through Charities Housing, we
provide safe, beautiful and afford-
able apartment homes to seniors with
COMMUNITY
7
limited means on fixed incomes. For
grandparents caring for grandchildren,
we offer guidance and peer support
through our Kinship Resource Cen-
ter. And we value the leadership and
engagement of community elders in
the Franklin-McKinley Children’s Ini-
tiative and with our Family Resource
Centers’ Gen-to-Gen program.
Recently when talking with seniors
at Catholic Charities Eastside Neigh-
borhood Center, I heard comments
like “this is my home” or “here we are
family” and “I like it here because I’m
not alone. They listen to us.”
I invite you to meet Catholic Chari-
ties seniors and listen to their amazing
stories. You may want to volunteer or
even put on your own dancing shoes.
For more information about how
you can help support our Older Adult
Services please visit our website,
www.CatholicCharitiesSCC.org.
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