Outreach Social Services by Lutheran Senior Services

Services

Finding What You Need

Call our Aging Answers Line at 314.446.2475 and share your concerns about your loved one’s situation with our staff. Many times, questions can be answered or specific needs resolved with just a phone call.

If the individual’s situation is more complex, an in-home assessment may be a better option. This includes a thorough look at her living arrangements, her ability to care for herself, ways she can access services, and more. After the visit, a comprehensive, written assessment of your loved one’s needs will be created for you, along with a list of recommended resources and services to keep her self-sufficient. Then, you may arrange for services yourself, or you can choose to have our staff do it for you.

If you are uncertain whether your family member would be open to an in-home assessment, office consultations are also available.

We Can Help You Find Information about…

Eligibility

Who Can Use Outreach Social Services?
Any concerned individual can call to inquire. Outreach Social Services helps adults age 60 and better and those age 50-plus with disabilities.

Are Outreach Social Services Affordable?
Information provided over the phone is free. In-home assessments and geriatric care management services are available on a sliding scale based on income. A limited number of scholarships are available for geriatric care management.

Outreach Social Services may save your family time and money by guiding you through the maze of resources and finding options that will keep you from missing work to arrange for care.

Service Areas
We serve St. Louis city and county as well as St. Charles and Jefferson counties. Just a few of the communities we serve include:

• St. Louis, Missouri 63103
• Chesterfield, Missouri 63017
• Florissant, Missouri 63031
• Ballwin, Missouri 63021
• O’Fallon, Missouri 63366
• St. Charles, Missouri 63301
• St. Peters, Missouri 63376
• Arnold, Missouri 63010

Getting Started

Call the Aging Answers Line at 314.446.2475. Our outreach workers will talk with you over the phone and help determine which services you need.

LSS Outreach Social Services is under the leadership of…

Carol Melka
Director of Outreach Services
ph 314.446.2493

The Director of Outreach Services, Carol Melka, joined LSS in 2000 and has over nine years of experience with elder care and community resource planning. She holds a master’s degree in social work with an emphasis in gerontology from the Brown School at Washington University. She also has a Missouri License in Clinical Social Work. She is active on the community advisory committees for Behavioral Health Response and the Arthritis Foundation.

Red Flag Checklist

Here is a tool that can help you determine if the older adult in your life needs more assistance. Click here for printable copy.

Read through the list and mark all that apply. If the results leave you with concerns about your older friend or loved one, contact us today at our Aging Answers Line, 314.446.2475.

Cognitive / Behavioral
___ Forgets to keep appointments or engagements.

___ Makes repeated calls about same condition, concern or complaint.

___ Makes calls at odd times of day.

___ Is confused or disoriented about time of day, month or year.

___ Repeats same story within same visit.

___ Exhibits change in personality or behavior.

___ Appears overly suspicious, paranoid, withdrawn, or anxious
(hands in motion most of the time).

___ Doesn’t participate in previous activities of interest.

___ Has difficulty with language (can’t find right words) and medial history
does not explain cause.

___ Forgets to take medications as ordered or is unaware of reason for
taking medications.

___ Forgets to turn stove off (odor of burnt food or pans with burnt food
are present).

___ When driving he/she gets lost, has frequent accidents or car shows damage.

___ Frequently locks self out of house/car.

___ Unable to report what he/she would do in case of an emergency
(fire, stranger at the door, etc.)

Nutrition
___ Clothes don’t fit because of weight loss.

___ Appears too frail to do meal preparation and doesn’t receive assistance.

___ Uneaten food in Meals on Wheels containers.

___ Stacks of old dirty dishes in sink.

___ Spoiled food on counters or in refrigerator.

___ Absence of food.

___ Does not have transportation to grocery store, doctor’s office, or church.

Physical
___ Appears unsteady getting up, down or when walking (uses walker,
cane or other helpful devices).

___ Forgets or refuses to use cane or walker.

___ Has a history of falling (sign of bruising on arms, legs or facial area).

___ Takes several medications.

___ Difficulty with dressing or toileting.

___ Significant loss of vision or hearing and not using adaptive devices.

___ Neglects personal appearance.

___ Has frequent visits to the Emergency Room.

Transitions
___ Recent death of:

___ Recent move from: to:

___ Increase in health problems.

___ Increase in vision impairment.

___ Increase in confusion/forgetfulness.

___ Increase in loss of physical ability.

Financial
___ Utilities have been disconnected.

___ Bills unpaid or large amount of credit card debt.

___ Bank account overdrawn.

___ Can’t reconcile bank account.

___ Stacks or piles of mail.

___ Participates in mail order sweepstakes that involve a purchase
or contribution.

___ Gives large amounts of money to charities but appears not able to
afford the contributions.

___ Lack of basic necessities (food, medications, etc).

___ Reluctant to go to doctor or shopping because of cost of transportation.

Environmental
___ Household in disarray.

___ Difficult to make a pathway through the house.

___ Throw rugs present or carpet wrinkled.

___ Strong odor of garbage, urine or gas is present.

___ No handrails or banisters (inside house or outside entrances).

___ Poor lighting.

___ Home is not secure (door is unlocked when you arrive, no deadbolts).

___ Smoke alarms or carbon monoxide detectors are not installed or are
not working.

___ Thermostat is not set appropriately.

___ Yard is unkempt (grass uncut, collection of newspapers/mail, etc).

___ Sidewalk is cracked or cluttered with high weeds.

___ Unattended or poorly attended pets.

Family and Support System
___ Does not have family or friends.

___ Family cannot visit frequently because of other commitments.

___ Family does not live in immediate area.

___ Family or friends do not seem to provide emotional support.

___ Family or friends do not seem to provide hands-on support.

___ Family is not able to provide financial support when needed.

___ Family member appears to be cause of concern or stress.

___ Family member or friend seems abusive (physically, verbally or financially).

___ Neighbors are not part of the support system.

___ Does not know neighbors’ names.

Responsibilities
___ Lives alone.

___ Responsible for self.

___ Responsible for others in household.

NEW! LSS At Work

LSS At Work Benefits the Employee and the Organization
Lutheran Senior Services At Work helps employees streamline their search for information. At the same time, an on-site corporate eldercare program can decrease the need for staff members to be away from work to accommodate caregiving responsibilities.

When you show your employees how much you value them and their families, it leads to increased employee satisfaction and retention while producing significant returns in productivity.

For More Information on LSS At Work
Contact Carol Melka at 314.446.2493.

Additional Resources
Frequently Asked Questions about LSS At Work.

Links to statistics and studies about corporate eldercare programs:

• National Family Caregivers Association statistics on family caregivers
• The MetLife Caregiving Cost Study on Productivity Losses to US Businesses