Seniors, Caregivers Tell Task Force About Needs of U City's Elderly

University City seniors and caregivers gave input on their needs and a related senior citizen survey Wednesday during a town hall meeting.

The Senior Task Force Survey, which asks seniors and caregivers about senior needs, has been available online. It also has been distributed at the and via other methods.

The hosted the Wednesday town hall event.

Before the meeting, task force member Abbie Carter said one thing that stuck out to her was seniors’ responses on transportation. She noted that when asked if seniors could get transportation when they need it, just 25.9 percent answered no.

“But when we looked at combining the undecided and no votes, it outweighed the yes,” Carter said.

She said that it might indicate it’s time to look into a bus service for seniors.

Jan Adams, of University City, attended the event and said she liked the number of positive responses on the survey.

“It seems like there’s more positive than negative responses,” she said.

But Michelle Gralnick, a caregiver for her two elderly parents in University City, said that might be deceiving.

“When they first started taking the survey, they depended on electronic communication,” Gralnick said. “A lot of seniors don’t have computers or are not computer literate.

“I was thrilled with the high rankings and positive answers, but that’s not been my experience,” she said.

Gralnick said the results could be skewed because few homebound seniors may have taken the survey.

“We need to figure out how to reach people who are homebound,” Gralnick said.

She suggested mailing the survey to everyone in the community.

During the meeting, task force member Shirley Soule said some ideas include:

• Handyman services
• Companion services
• Senior call center or troubleshooting hotline
• Dances
• Resource guides

“Many of you said we need a list of senior services available in the community,” Soule said. “People also said we should look into bus excursions with the City of Olivette. This is something that the city of Olivette has approached us about, so that’s a possibility.”

Mary Hart, a gerontologist, said the city is resource rich, and services are available. In fact, free resource guides are available, she said.

“Maybe one area the city could add a senior ombudsman or a senior commission,” Hart said. “Florissant, St. Ann and Overland do have a senior-resource person.”

Gralnick said she agreed with the need for a senior ombudsman. Many seniors no longer have the energy or tenacity needed to follow through on opportunities available to them, she said.

“I spend 30 hours a week on the phone, filling out applications for my parents,” Gralnick said. “It’s exhausting. I don’t know how a senior dealing with low energy or mental capacity issues can do that.”

She also said that most free resource guides are not community-based, so she suggested creating one with services in and near University City.

U City Mayor Shelley Welsch said the task force is supposed to get recommendations to the city by February. Then, the city council can handle any policy issues, and City Manager Lehman Walker and city staff can make program adjustments or include items for next year’s budget, Welsch said.

“Back when I was on the council, I felt we didn’t focus enough attention on the needs, wants and desires of our seniors and youth,” Welsch said. “That’s why I initiated the task force in October 2012.”

The survey and the town hall meeting is part of the effort to gain community input.

“This will give us input on how we should move forward,” the mayor said.

A draft budget is due to the city council by Feb. 27.

Following is a sampling of some survey results. About 400 people took the survey, Soule said.

Are there opportunities for exercise and recreation in a safe environment?

Yes: 77.8 percent

No: 8.1 percent

Undecided: 14.1 percent

Is there a hospital or clinic in the community?

Yes: 33.5 percent

No: 43.8 percent

Undecided: 22.7 percent

Are there appropriate jobs opportunities available for seniors?

Yes: 12.6 percent

No: 32.4 percent

Undecided: 55 percent

Can seniors get transportation whenever they want it?

Yes: 41.2 percent

No: 25.9 percent

Undecided: 33 percent

Patch will link to the full survey results when the Mayor’s Task Force makes the site available.