Senior Renewal marks 4 th year; over 350 helped

Sandy Radford, Senior Renewal program director

Individuals have many different needs and St. Joseph's Hospital in Breese offers a service called Senior Renewal that may be an answer to some of those concerns.

Senior Renewal is an outpatient service for adults 60 years old and over who are dealing with issues such as depression, anxiety and loss.

Seniors often experience depression when dealing with the death of their spouse, family members or longtime friends. Also, after retiring, many seniors feel they no longer have a purpose and are not a productive part of society, thus leading to poor self-esteem.  Others experience difficulty coping with chronic pain or decline in their physical health.  Often, these changes require a move to a more supervised setting and this loss of independence can be difficult to adjust to and quite troubling. 

Signs of depression can include changes in appetite and sleep patterns; a decrease in energy, concentration and self-esteem; an increase in anxiety and worrying; withdrawal from family and friends; the inability to find pleasure in activities that were once enjoyable; feelings of hopelessness, helplessness, worthlessness, uselessness and guilt; and suicidal thoughts.

The good news is that depression is treatable.

The goal of Senior Renewal is to restore a sense of well-being and quality of life. Now celebrating its fourth anniversary, Senior Renewal has helped over 350 individuals.  Sessions are offered weekdays at the hospital HealthPlex off Jamestown Road.

Senior Renewal has a full staff of health care professionals including psychiatric/mental health nurse and program director Sandy Radford; psychiatric nurse Mary Laidley; licensed clinical professional counselors Dawn Kleber and Paula Post; licensed clinical social worker Ann Langenfeld; psychiatric technicians and drivers Sharon Loddeke and Breann Loddeke; and driver Jerry Mines.

Transportation can be arranged. Most commercial insurances, Medicare and many supplemental plans cover Senior Renewal; the hospital Business Office at 526-5329 or John Bono can answer payment questions.

For more information or an appointment, on or off the hospital campus, contact 526-5699 or e-mail Sandy Radford or visit the hospital website at www.stjoebreese.com .