One thing that remains constant through life and as we age is the desire to have our needs met and to have companionship. Of course, there’s always a chance various future-life circumstances could alter past-life plans that are made with the best of intentions.
The Pikes Peak region has this hidden gem of 53 years, Silver Key, that often flies under the radar of local residents until they find themselves directly involved with, or as, a senior in the area on a fixed income, who might need a helping hand.
A Bit of History
Colorado Springs has a history of being a destination for those who have or were suffering with tuberculosis. Many made the pilgrimage to the area in the late 1800s to early 1900s, as the arid mountain climate was thought to be a better environment for curing the disease that was so prevalent at the time. For some, a long-term visit was not in the budget, and they opted to relocate permanently, often without their families in tow due to the added cost. Over time, this led to a number of individuals who were now marooned in a new town, often far away from family and it bred isolation and loneliness.
As this population aged, a group of concerned citizens saw an opportunity to improve the quality of life for the older individuals in their community. In 1970, Silver Key was founded and began providing services and programs to senior citizens to support them in aging safely, with dignity and independence.
Generating Hope
Today, Silver Key serves more than 11,000 seniors annually through health and wellness, transportation, community or affordable housing services. Silver Key president and CEO Jason DeaBueno explains battling isolation and loneliness by addressing the needs on "Maslow’s hierarchy" first generates hope.
“Those who are living with a fixed income are making real-life decisions every day,” he notes. He references a statistic that suicide rates among seniors in El Paso County have risen steadily since 2019 from 23.29 percent, now registering at almost 30 percent as of last year. He indicates that Silver Key has been working diligently to address these numbers where they can. They have formed relationships within the community that address determinants such as food insecurity, transportation and community safety, making Silver Key a valuable link in the healthcare solution.
It has been documented that food insecurity will make a person 2.4 times more likely to go to the emergency room. Transportation needs make a person 2.6 times more likely to go to the emergency room. And community safety needs make a person 3.2 times more likely to go to the emergency room. By providing services to reduce food insecurity, providing necessary transportation and addressing community safety needs with valued partners including the Colorado Springs Fire Department, the National Alliance on Mental Illness, and the Innovations in Aging Collaborative, there is now a number to quantify just how much these services ultimately impact the bottom line for taxpayers as well as those in need.
The Hope Report indicates that of the 214 clients served through this partnership, they are seeing more than a 50 percent increase in hope from those clients whose needs were met through means alternative to emergency personnel. This number directly correlates to estimated taxpayer savings of $271,000 per year. If the resources allowed these services to extend to the 18,500 vulnerable seniors currently in El Paso County, this could easily bring the overall savings to $23 million in taxpayer savings per year.
Making a Difference, One Senior at a Time
All of these numbers and quantifications help paint the picture, but DeaBueno let slip another surprising fact: “Readers might be surprised to know how many individuals [receiving our services] actually include our transportation and meals on wheels drivers into their memorials when they pass away. I think this has to do with the level of connection and impact those drivers have on people’s everyday lives.”
Companionship matters.
“I don’t know what I would have done without them,” states Trudy Thomas, a senior who has been involved in Silver Key’s services for about six years. “I have been estranged from my family and homeless – they had connections and were able to find help for me. When you have illness and are facing homelessness, it puts you in a whole different mindset,” she elaborates. “It took me a long time to come to terms with being a senior, but now I feel privileged to be a senior knowing I have help like them.”
Meeting needs matters.
Fostering Connections
When asked about his recommendation for the best way community members can get involved, without hesitation, DeaBueno simply asked that they make it a point to connect with isolated seniors. He did not first ask for volunteers, or donations. He did not reference corporate sponsorships, or estate planning or shopping rewards (although each of those is an invaluable way to support this incredible non-profit). His first reaction was to go to the heart of the matter. The best way for us as a community to care for our senior citizens is to foster those connections and relationships, to generate hope and dignity and to support each other as neighbors and as humans.
For a list of services, programs and ways to get involved or support Silver Key in their efforts, click on the links below.
Website: https://www.silverkey.org/
Facebook: @SilverKeySeniorServices
Instagram: @SilverKeyCOS
“It took me a long time to come to terms with being a senior, but now I feel privileged to be a senior knowing I have help like them.” -Trudy Thomas