Sponsored by Community First Bank

Photographer / Brian Brosmer

The Shepherd’s Center of Hamilton County, open since 1985 and located in Noblesville, offers five different programs that provide resources for seniors 55 and older. The programs have no income requirements and welcome any Hamilton County resident 55 or older, or caregivers in the county who are caring for someone 55 and older.

Those who qualify are invited to take part in the five main programs: Community Caring, Counseling Program, Guardianship Program, Reaching Resources, and Together Today.

Community Caring, launched in 2009, helps older adults age in place safely through volunteer support, while the Counseling Program provides free counseling services with a licensed therapist. The Guardianship Program promotes the dignity of incapacitated adults through legal advocacy, Reaching Resources connects seniors with aging-related resources in Hamilton County. The last program, Together Today, prevents isolation and works to create a community for adults 55 and up.

“We’ve seen amazing growth in our Together Today program,” says Lauren Guynn, executive director. “It’s a great way to connect with others in the same stage in life. Social isolation is an epidemic and a lot of seniors that come into this program are just looking for ways to connect to others.”

In 2025 the Shepherd’s Center is focusing on one of the largest areas of need – case management, which involves connecting people with any resources they need to address aging, and expanding those resources to caregivers.

“Caregivers struggle too because they don’t know what is available and what their loved ones qualify for,” Guynn says. “We really need to be here as a resource for our community and those caring for each other.”

The center sees a huge demand for their Counseling Program, an increase Guynn saw post-pandemic as people have continued to become more and more aware of how their mental health affects their overall well-being.

Photo by Brian Brosmer

“Our aging residents are combating the stigma and truly committed to address any mental health issues they’re having,” Guynn says. “We really want to serve and fill that gap as best as we possibly can by supplying the resources needed.”

Looking ahead, Guynn says she has seen an increase in numbers of volunteers and is excited about how many people are stepping up and helping the aging community. Volunteers are essential to the overall growth of the Shepherd’s Center, and she hopes to see the trend continue throughout 2025. Guynn says some of the growth is a silver lining of the pandemic, as there was fruitful collaboration between the community at large and local health partners, and more people became aware of what the Shepherd’s Center does.

“Volunteers are essential to our growth” Guynn says. “We have a small but mighty team and our volunteers are the fold of our organization. We are so grateful for them and look forward to a promising year.”

The Shepherd’s Center of Hamilton County is located at 1250 Conner Street in Noblesville. You can reach the center at 317-674-8777, and learn more at shepherdscenterofhamiltoncounty.org.

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