September 5, 1973
Page 28499
PROJECT INDEPENDENCE
Mr. MUSKIE. Mr. President, Project Independence, a highly successful program for senior citizens in western Maine, is beginning its third year of operation. From the beginning, the program was designed to help the elderly help themselves and each other. The project was the first of its kind in the country, and is now one of 22 nationwide.
A recent article in the Lewiston, Maine, Sun provides a good description of the project's services, and could be a prescription as well for similar efforts elsewhere. For this reason, I ask unanimous consent that the article be printed in the RECORD.
There being no objection, the article was ordered to be printed in the RECORD, as follows:
"OLD FOLKS" UNDERTAKE BIGGEST INDEPENDENCE MOVEMENT SINCE '76
(By Blanche Applebee)
WILTON– "Proud Downeasters" have a horror of being beholden. They would almost rather die than leave their homes, for they believe once you do, you are beholden to somebody for the rest of your life.
The biggest independence movement since 1776, Project Independence, provides the elderly with the necessities for a dignified life style.
Its purpose is to make it possible for older people to live in their own homes as long as they are able, by providing services that the elderly householder cannot manage by himself, but must have in order to run his own household.
The people who originated the idea of Project Independence did not go along with the idea that older people are helpless and dependent. This is proven by the fact that Project Independence is set up to be carried on by the older people themselves. The first step in the project was a survey to find out what services a program of this kind should offer. Elderly householders decided transportation, health care, need for information and recreation were needed.
MAINE IS FIRST
Maine, number one to qualify, finished its first year of operating receiving the highest evaluation rating of the 21 different areas in the country to try out the Federal pilot program initiated to answer these needs.
The State organization which beat out the entire country in obtaining that first grant was the Governor's Western Maine Task Force on Aging. Governor Curtis set it up to prepare for the White House Conference on Aging; its area was Franklin, Oxford, and Androscoggin Counties,
an area that contains 16 per cent – 18,500 people – of all the elderly people in the State.
The Western Maine Task Force was active in the over-all program that the five State Task Forces carried on. Results of this were made into a book called Steps for Maine's Elderly. John B. Martin, then the Federal Commissioner of Aging, sent copies of this to the State Departments of Aging in all 50 states.
It received the grant because its approach to the problems of the elderly was, that given a little help, here and there, they can solve most of them by their own efforts. Task Force members ran their own show. They were to become a force to be reckoned with. They are so active in legislative matters that they have not only helped themselves, they helped their neighbors and their communities. And that's what earned them the big helping hand – Project Independence!
The Task Force is now incorporated as the Western Older Citizens Council; its executive committee is the advisory planning agency, policy making, and coordinating body for Project Independence.
The Project is administered by the Services for Aging Unit of the Maine Department of Health and Welfare with Steven Polederos of this unit as project director. Harold Collins, Wilton, is the executive director. His office, the head office, is at 8 High Street in Wilton.
VOLUNTEERS
The all volunteer executive committee consists of president, Rev. Carl Kingsbury, Rumford Point; vice president, Daniel Lowe, Auburn; treasurer, Clifford Noyes, East Wilton; secretary, Blanche Applebee, North Jay; County representatives: Androscoggin: Stella Jacobois, Lisbon Falls; Lottie Lake, Lewiston; Wilhilmine Tracey, Auburn; Franklin; Flora Ellis, Stratton; Nettle Rounds, Farmington; Eldon Shute, Sr., Oxford; Mildred Delano, Rumford; Ernest Talbot, South Paris; Meribah Bixby, Brownfield.
Thousands of reports of work for the program, for the community, and for other people are turned in each week. Here is a case where the government helps those who help themselves.
TRANSPORTATION
The most important to most people is its transportation service. The 11 Project Independence mini buses travel thousands of miles a week; they cover an area as big as Rhode Island and Connecticut combined.
A PROUD "DOWNEASTER"
Any time, anywhere in that area, you may see one of them roll to a careful stop. The driver jumps out, rolls back the sliding door, positions the step firmly, and helps the little lady with the big shopping bag to the ground. Then he tucks the shopping bag under one arm, the lady under another, and deposits them both on their own doorstep.
"Thank you, Ike," she says. “I don't know how we ever got along without these buses."
"You know, before we had them my mail used to lay right there in the post office a solid week or more. Why, everybody I know coulda died and been buried and I'd never known a thing about it."
She didn't say – because it went without saying! – that her mail could have lain there forever before she would have asked anybody to go out of his way to pick it up.
"Proud Downeasters".
PRIORITIES
Bus trip priorities are (1) health needs (2) business (this includes shopping, beauty shops, library, cashing checks, etc.) (3) recreation.
Franklin County has four buses; Androscoggin, four; and Oxford, three. One of the Franklin County buses was bought with money appropriated by the Franklin County Board of Commissioners for the use of Franklin County senior citizens; in Androscoggin, a bus was bought by the Town of Lisbon for the use of senior citizens in Lisbon. Both buses are operated out of the Project Independence dispatcher office.
Franklin County's dispatcher office is at 105 Main St. Dispatchers are Edith Preston, Jay; Dorothy Gudgrandson, Farmington. Drivers are Robert Oliver, Farmington Falls; Cleston Drown, Chesterville; Floyd Karkos, Dryden; Issac Welch, Madrid; Robert Carson, New Sharon.
Androscoggin's office is at 66 Mill St., Auburn. Dispatchers are Simon Lavoie, Auburn; Edythe Gagnon, Mechanic Falls; Muriel Bartasius, Poland. The drivers are: Ruth Haushill, Lewiston; Harold Ricker, Lisbon; Robert Boulet, Lewiston; Fernand Lavoie, Lewiston.
Oxford has 2 dispatchers' offices: Market Square, South Paris and 50 Congress Street, Rumford. County dispatcher is Joseph Farnham. Drivers: Perley Howard, Rumford; Milton Vaughn, West Peru; Harry Lowe, Oxford; Eugene Tardif, Norway.
THE HIRED GIRL
Next in importance after transportation are the health services. The Androscoggin Health Services and the Tri-County Health Planning Agency provide these. In addition to regular health services, this component includes the modern version of the hired girl – something most elderly householders need from time to time, but can't find.
These modern hired gals come in two styles, health aides – women who go into homes to care for the sick or the hospital convalescents, in order to shorten, or to eliminate hospitalization; homemakers, who help disabled or infirm people with help with household chores.
"DARN GOOD WORKERS"
"Darn good workers them gals!" one enthusiastic gentleman reported to his senior center. "Good looking, too. And you know something – never saw my wife get better so fast."
The major health services are the annual flu shots and the annual health screenings – both held at the senior centers. The health screening reached people who had had no medical attention for periods of 10 to 40 years – a few had never consulted a doctor. In several cases, the screening prevented serious – or even fatal – consequences.
Flu shot clinics and health screenings provide a good example of the way the four components of Project Independence add up to a pattern of related services for the elderly. The senior centers provided the meeting place; the mini buses brought the people; information and referral spread the word. In this case, it had to sell the idea as well. Over and over. If you've ignored doctors practically all your life, it takes more than a simple notice of a health screening to turn you on.
You have to be sold. I and R did a good job on this, but there was still the woman who finally agreed to come, but made it plain that she wasn't taking off her clothes.
I AND R
The Information and Referral Office is at 65 Mill Street, Auburn. Mrs. Jeanine Sabat is the Information and Referral Specialist. Questions are called in toll free. If additional information is needed in order to answer a question, a VISTA worker visits the person who made the inquiry.
VISTA workers are, FranklinCounty, Ora Dyar, Strong; Keith Dexter, Kingfield, Androscoggin; Jack McGuire, Lewiston; Ralph Petersen, Sr., Auburn; Stanley Bryant, North Leeds; Oxford, Alice Marvel, Canton.
I and R questions are usually about social security, pensions, specific services, and similar matters. Occasionally, one not so similar – for example, the one from the lady who wanted to know which senior center in the area had the most men members.
Whatever the lady had in mind, she was in the right neighborhood since the Senior Citizen Centers do provide the recreation component for the projects. And, while it is true that this particular type is not predominant, it is also true that, since girls will be girls and boys will be boys, center weddings do occur. The regular program, however, is made up of sociability, outings, eats, games, and varied programs. A Senior Citizen Center County Advisory Council coordinates the activities of the local centers and the volunteer work programs. A Tri-County Council has just been organized for the purpose of expanding the recreational program.
Another new service, still in the planning stage, is the meals program.
On May 30, Project Independence made a major change-over. Before that date, it had hired the Community Action Agency in each county to carry on its Information and Referral and its Transportation services. When these contracts expired, the WOCC Executive Committee voted to take over the operation of these services. Henry Desjardins, Lewiston, was hired as supervisor. His office is at 65 Mill Street, Auburn.
Project Independence, now starting on its third year, has benefited not only the TriCounty area which it serves, but the entire State, as well. Adaptations of its programs have been set up in Kennebec County and in other areas. Eventually, they are expected to be available State-wide.
Project Independence – the helping hand that makes it possible for the elderly to realize their "hope of living independently" without "being beholden" to anybody.