Big Sky Senior Services, Inc. is an umbrella organization for four programs vital to low-income seniors in our community:
Senior Helping Hands Program
Prevention of Elder Abuse Program
Friends Volunteer Program
SAFE Program (Representative Payee)
Our mission is to enhance the independence and quality of life of the elderly population, regardless of their ability to pay. We believe that every American has the right to live independently, safely and free from abuse.

Description:
The Senior Helping Hands Program is a state licensed, not-for-profit home health agency. Our primary mission is to assist older members of our community to remain in their homes, regardless of their ability to pay. To this end, we provide services ranging from homemaking, shopping, transportation and socialization to assistance with personal hygiene, medication management and nursing care.

The majority of the clients we serve are so poor that they are unable to pay for the help they receive from Senior Helping Hands, and others can only contribute a small amount towards the cost of their care. Senior Helping Hands is the only agency in this geographical region helping seniors who literally fall through the cracks of the system. Without our help, these elders would have to enter a nursing home prematurely, paid for by Medicaid.

The average charge for one day in a nursing home is $121.00. It costs Senior Helping Hands approximately $4,000 per year to help an elder remain in his/her home, where most of these seniors really want to be.

Many of our clients tell us that old age didn't turn out to be a "golden age" for them. They describe aging as a time of great loss: the loss of friends, loved ones and oftentimes a spouse, the loss of physical anhd mental abilities, loss of mobility and income, the loss of the regard and respect of the community as a whole, sometimes even the loss of dignity and independence. They tell us that the one thing they have not yet lost is their own home, where they can enjoy a measure of privacy and independence. At Senior Helping Hands, we do whatever we can to serve these elders,and help them to remain at home.

The Prevention of Elder Abuse Program focuses its efforts on educating the community about the abuse, neglect and financial exploitation of elders and developmentally disabled adults. We train employees of financial institutions, the U.S. Postal Service, stores and other companies and corporations to recognize the signs of elder abuse. We teach these gatekeepers how to report suspected abuse or exploitation.

Elder abuse is a terrible crime, because it preys on one of our most vulnerable population groups. Many seniors have lost their life savings through exploitation by family members, neighbors and/or scam artists. These seniors do not have the capacity to start over, and to earn those savings back. Because of this, they are left destitute, living on a small social security payment. The Prevention of Elder Abuse Program works hard to inform and educate our community about abuse, and how to prevent it, so that we all can become gatekeepers for our elderly neighbors.

Working closely with Adult Protective Services, our social worker investigates allegations of abuse and neglect. She also provides extensive Information and Assistance services to elders and developmentally disabled adults. Her involvement in her clients' lives makes all the difference. They report feeling safer, and they have access to more of the services they need.

The Friends Volunteer Program is a program designed to provide companionship to homebound seniors.The purpose is to reduce loneliness, depression and suicide in the elderly population. Our Visiting Friend Volunteers are paired with a senior with similar intersts. They meet weekly at the senior's home to chat, have coffee and socialize. Some seniors and their volunteers like to go out for meals, to movies , to the mall, or just enjoy a walk in the park. Our clients tell us that their Friend Volunteer is oftentimes the only friendly face they see all week.

Our Phone Friends make daily calls to isolated, homebound elders. These calls provide a friendly voice and opportunity for a nice chat. Most importantly, they help us to make sure that the senior is safe. If a phone client does not answer his/her phone, the volunteer calls our office immediately. We then take all the steps necessary to ensure that the elder is safe. This includes sending a member of our staff to her/his residence to see if s/he has fallen.

S.A.F.E PROGRAM is a representaive payee program we provide to seniors and developmentally disabled adults. our payee sets the client's budget, and pays his/her bills every month. This helps to protect vulnerable individuals from exploitation, and is a highly valued service for people who have lost the physical or mental ability necessary to pay their own bills. Our representative payee works closely with all creditors, and the Social Security Administration.

History:
Senior Helping Hands was started in 1977, by a local woman who saw a need for a program that would help homebound elderly persons remain in their homes. Agnes Crow began the program in the basement of her home with the aid of two part-time helpers, and 5 clients.

The primary goal of Senior Helping Hands is to provide high quality home health services to the elderly population in order to enhance their independence and quality of life.

Contact people:

Sierra Phillips, Volunteer Coordinator, (phone), (email) Nell Eby, Program Director, (phone), (email)

Address:

3 1/2 North 35th Street Billings, MT 59101 (See a map)

Web Site: http://www.bigskyseniorservices.org

Directions:

Our building borders North 35th Street and Montana Avenue. Access for people with disabilities is through the east door. The front door is on the building's west side. Our offices are on the 2nd floor.   Nearest Metro/Subway Stop: N/A   Nearest Bus Stop: N 35th Street, 2mins minute walk