27 San Diego Senior Service Categories To Consider

Seniors often struggle with taking heavy, bulky trash/recycle/greenery cans to the curb for the trash truck (and back again when empty). A  local veteran owned business: Trash Day Can Carriers (855)248-7274

Besides classes at your local community center, San Diego County has this resource for wellness and fitness classes for seniors. There's a Feeling Fit Club and a Health Promotion Team to help support a mobile, comfortable aging season.

San Diego County has a number of resources to help find in home care and help fund in home care by family members.  Caregiver Resource Centers (CRCs) offer help to families and caregivers of elderly. 

It may be wise to choose a local, reputable  cleaning service, with cleaners that don't come & go like the bigger companies but one with professional, trusted cleaners like these local family owned business: www.RanchoBernardoHouseCleaning.com

www.SanDiego-Housecleaners.com

Adding rails, widening doorways, installing ramps can all add independence, convenience and dignity for aging in place seniors. Find licensed contractors here.

San Diego County has a list of Senior Home-Delivered Meal Providers.  If qualified, a hot meal is regularly provided. It's also worth considering a paid meal delivery program to ensure proper nutrition.

According to the National Council on Aging, there are several good systems including: 

• Medical Guardian
• MobileHelp
• Medical Alert
• One Call Alert
• LifeFone

 Some of our community's seniors are living lives of lonely desperation. Whether related to grief, depression, paranoia, or some other mental illness, the pain is like being lost. The San Diego County Seniors Team is there to help.  Call  800-339-4661 or link:

Another newer and less known service is a mobile laundry service that picks up bags of dirty laundry, takes it offsite to clean/fold and brings it back all pressed and ready for wear. You can Yelp some of these services:

State licensing agencies can help extend safe mobility for the older and medically at-risk drivers by using their licensing policies and practices to identify and assess at-risk-drivers while using restrictions and remediation to help senior drivers compensate for functional impairments. AAA offers this helpful self-check list: https://exchange.aaa.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/Driver-65-Plus.pdf

 The mission of Office of Military & Veterans Affairs is to provide professional services for military veterans and their dependents and survivors who are entitled to benefits from the United States Department of Veterans Affairs, the State of California, and other agencies as applicable. Learn more and make an appointment.

Sadly, Seniors are often the targets of scammers and frauds.  The Health and Human Services Agency has programs and services including Appeals and Fraud Prevention.  For more information call 1-866-262-9881 or the fraud hotline at  (800) 421-2252 or more information with the link below.

 Dial 2-1-1 from your landline phone or visit 211sandiego.org for information on community services, mental health resources, Medi-Cal/Medicare health providers, disaster relief and more. Besides link connected to the button below, another resource is https://seniorlaw-sd.org/programs/health-insurance-counseling-advocacy-program-hicap/

 Initiating a difficult conversation can be tough at any age or stage of life. You may recognize the need for help for a parent or grandparent, but your loved one may be resistant. This may prove useful from Elderhelp:

 The County of San Diego is partnering with On the Go to operate the San Diego County Senior Transportation Program. This program provides safe and reliable transportation for older adults living in specific areas at no cost to the rider.  

Educate yourself about what elder abuse is, the different types of elder abuse, how common it is and all of the signs that point to it.  Protecting those vulnerable and deserving of protection is everyone's job, and www.SanDiego.gov is a good resource.

There are often excessive heat warnings in San Diego County. If an elderly person is without adequate cooling systems, they are welcome at a variety of cooling sites, and there is often complimentary transportation if needed. 

 From www.aging.ca.gov: "There’s no longer a single natural disaster season – a wildfire, earthquake, or flood can strike at any time and may result in an evacuation or shelter-in-place order. It’s especially important for older Californians, who may have specific needs, to have a plan and emergency supplies ready for these situations."  

CalFresh provides monthly food benefits to qualified seniors with low-income.

• Is the largest food program in California and provides an essential hunger safety net
• Can help buy nutritious foods for a better diet
• Provides food benefits that can be used at grocery stores 

 If your older loved one has challenges with memory or other thinking skills that impacts his or her ability to perform everyday activities, this may be an indication of some form of dementia, but there are other conditions that can cause similar symptoms. Learn more and about support available. 

  When driving a car is no longer an option, seniors can maintain an independent, active lifestyle by scheduling rides to medical appointments, errands, exercise classes, social activities and more. One free resource is Seniors A Go Go:

 Walkers, Wheelchairs, adjustable beds, oxygen tanks and other medical equipment can encourage mobility and support independence and inclusion. You can rent or purchase these items at a number of San Diego County locations. One local list of providers is offered here:

Community Centers offer seniors a place and events to have friendships and peer support. They often offer a wealth of experience and a network of other support services as well. Connecting with your local community center is a great starting place.

Having occasional help to care for an aging loved one is essential for caregivers.  There are a number of respite care services locally. You can start with the county resources and if you want to look further, there are plenty of companies offering this service as well.