Kare Bear office volunteers, left to right: Ann Abke and Judie Harden
Rayma Scalzo
I see requests for referrals and resources on the PebbleCreek email group every day and I wonder if residents know about the Kare Bear Resource Guide. It is a great tool for those of us looking for help in various areas. Simply go to www.karebears.org and click on Resource Guide. Scroll down to the bottom and see The Full Guide and The Index. Both can be downloaded for your use or viewed on line. As the Kare Bear special volunteer for the Resource Guide, it is important for me to note that Kare Bears does not endorse any of the entries. It merely provides information.
Please understand that you do not have to be a caregiver or sick to benefit from this guide. There are 37 pages of resources listed and some of the services are provided by PebbleCreek residents. Services offered by Creekers include, but not limited to, transportation, pet sitters, home watchers, handymen and seamstresses. There are listings of government agencies, elder law attorneys, estate and financial planners and much more.
Be sure to check out the Area Agency on Aging. They have a senior helpline and offer an informative book called the Elder Resource Guide. It can be viewed online. The phone number and website for viewing it is on page two of the Kare Bear Resource Guide. The Elder Resource Guide is an excellent directory for contacting public and private organizations that provide services to families and caregivers.
Perhaps the most important reason to view the Kare Bear Resource Guide is to get help when you or a loved one is ill. One of the main sections towards the back of the guide deals with support and it includes products, programs and organizations for numerous illnesses. Another part lists where to get medical and non-medical assistance. And, of course, there is one section that deals with senior housing, rehab or respite care.
If you don’t use the web, you can view the Resource Guide at the Kare Bear house. While you are there, take time to visit our medical library. It has all kinds of books, business cards, pamphlets and information pertaining to medical issues and care. Most of the resources can be checked out and read at home at your convenience.
The Resource Guide has been a worthwhile undertaking for me and it has expanded through the years. Since coming to PebbleCreek in 1995, I have been highly involved with helping people, facilitating support groups, etc. Many members and friends have found the guide extremely helpful. Hopefully you will take the time to at least scan through the index and see what is there. Then the next time you need a resource, check out our website at WWW.karebears.org. Believe it or not, the Resource Guide was even trending on Facebook due to a TV newscast about a month ago. For questions email me, Rayma Scalzo, at [email protected].
Oh, and by the way, if you see me around the PC neighborhood, please stop and tell me that yes, you have seen it.