In 1981, Senior Support Program of the Tri-Valley (SSPTV) began with a Friendly Visitor volunteer program serving 35 seniors. Today, its programs serve about 1,600 seniors in the Tri-Valley area with a core of about 125 volunteers providing more than 4,000 visits and 5,000 phone calls every year. A nonprofit since 2006, SSPTV offers 17 individual programs to help seniors 60 and older stay healthy and engaged in the community. Those programs include case management, health screening and foot care, family caregiver support, and much more.

"Our mission is to provide services and assistance to seniors that will foster independence, promote safety and well-being, preserve dignity, and improve the quality of life for our senior community," says Barbara Will, Family Caregiver Program Coordinator.

Recently SSPTV learned that it is losing funding for its Health Screening program, which offers some of the organization's most important services. These include blood pressure testing, diabetic screenings, and foot care.

"After working here for several years, you learn that a member of our staff may be the only contact some of our seniors have in any given month," notes Will. "There are many seniors who live a long distance from family members, are estranged, or have lost friends and connections over the years. At times there is no one else in their lives who catch the changes in their health and have the opportunities that we do."

One regular client, for example, had extremely high blood pressure when he came in for his monthly appointment. The registered nurse who saw him recommended that he go to an emergency room for evaluation. Despite repeated appeals, the client was unwilling to go until SSPTV's transportation coordinator arrived at the office. She persuaded the client to be seen by a doctor and offered to drive him to the hospital.

"This is one of many health issues that our staff frequently 'catch and conquer' while doing their jobs," says Will. "Had this client not been using our services that day, the outcome to his story would certainly have had a different ending."

These screening services are now endangered due to the loss of funding, but private donors can help keep them in place. "We depend on countless volunteers, Tri-City and Alameda County funding, as well as private donations to keep the Senior Support Program a viable service in our community," says Will.

In addition to senior services, SSPTV offers senior wellness and nutrition classes in the workplace to educate employees about taking care of their parents and other aging loved ones. Aging impacts the greater community as well as individuals, notes Will.

"It is important for the business community to understand the responsibilities employees bear as being part of the 'sandwich generation' that juggle full-time work while raising their families and caring for an aging parent. It is this dual role that can have an incredible impact on an employee's ability to maintain a life/work balance and their job performance."

In addition to hosting senior luncheons throughout the year as well as an annual Christmas party for senior clients, SSPTV will co-host a Fall Prevention Fair with the city of Pleasanton on Thursday, September 27.

"There are many ways to help our programs thrive and grow," says Will. "We welcome any contribution, be it a few hours of your time or a financial gift to help our seniors live out a productive, independent, and happy life."

For more information about Senior Support Program of the Tri-Valley, please visit www.ssptv.org.