Senior Pride
Boone County Senior Services, Inc. Continues to Provide Crucial Assistance, Programs and Activities
Writer / Shelly Sack
Photography Provided
Helping seniors lead meaningful, healthy lives is of core importance to Boone County Senior Services, Incorporated (BCSSI). Its mission? To promote independence and provide enriching opportunities for older adults who reside in Boone County, which it has been doing for decades.
The most popular and visible service is transportation, and many people are unaware that services are eligible for all ages. According to BCSSI Executive Director Anita Bowen, transportation is available for all residents of Boone County when scheduling ahead of time.
If someones car is in the shop and you still need to transport your kids to school, we do this, Bowen says. I think its a mystery most people dont know we can provide. We can also help with work, errands, and often for seniors needing to get to medical appointments. Its for seniors usually, but we also serve people who arent seniors. The next most popular service here at BCSSI is for in-home personal services for seniors who are 60 years and older. We offer light housekeeping, meal preparations, running errands, and medication reminders for seniors as well.
In 2021, 2,091 seniors received some type of assistance through BCSSI. It is a private nonprofit, and not solely state funded – another misconception many in the community seem to have regarding its services, Bowen says.
Our largest fund source is [the Indiana Department of Transportation], because transportation is our largest service, Bowen says. Other sources are the United Way of Central Indiana, CICOA Aging & In-Home Solutions, Community Foundation of Boone County, and private grants and donors. Its a nice blend of funding sources. Many people think were government, but we try to brand ourselves as BCSSI, not to be confused as a government department or agency. I think that is a mystery to folks.
As people get more familiar with BCSSI, Bowen says they often enjoy getting involved with the activities program. Scheduled events on the website calendar include Theater Thursdays, art and photography contests, and even day trips outside Boone County. In addition, they are looking to grow evening and weekend programs because seniors are working longer into what used to be considered retirement years.
Were always reviewing employee applications for drivers and in-home service attendants, and welcome people interested in joining our team, Bowen says. We also love to connect with those looking for volunteer opportunities.
BCSSI has offices at 515 Crowne Pointe Drive in Lebanon, and at Zionsville Town Hall, located at 1100 West Oak Street, room
206. More info can be found on the official website at booneseniors.org, along with links to newsletters and other resources. Also check them out on Facebook at facebook.com/bocoseniors, and on Twitter and Instagram.
