GREENE COUNTY, N.C. (WITN) – Greene County Senior Center and Services is offering a program to help homebound seniors get healthy and nutritious food.
The Providing Elders Additional Sustenance program, or PEAS, is a monthly grocery box program that started this fiscal year and is already helping many in need. The boxes are a way to keep costs down for older seniors while not having to sacrifice healthy eating.
Mike Anderson, a Greene County resident, said that after his mother-in-law suffered from a stroke, and his father-in-law is not able to get out of the home like he used to, he helps where he can.
“Her sister, myself, whoever can, run to the grocery store to pick up the meals to do those kinds of things for them because they’re not able to get out,” Anderson said.
The Greene County Senior Center is looking to help families like Anderson through their PEAS program.
“The PEAS program is a program through the state division of aging that provides additional groceries to our homebound, most frail seniors,” said Sharon Harrison, Greene County Senior Center and Services director.
The program helps provide groceries — up to $80 worth — to qualifying older adults. Once a month, the senior center and services staff call the participants in the program to complete a grocery list that’s filled with nutrients like vegetables, fruits, and protein.
Staff then go shopping for the seniors in need and either deliver the boxes, or family members can pick them up.
“Greene County has limited grocery access, so whatever we can do to help with cost and availability, we’re willing to do,” Harrison said.
The new program is already making waves in the county, helping older loved ones stay healthy.
“You would hate for them to sit around and not really be able to get up and have to eat cookies or things like that cause they’re able to prepare meals on the stove like they used to in the past. These meals provide a good nutritional balance,” Anderson said.
The program also provides an extra hand to caregivers.
“A lot of family caregivers work, and so having something that’s available, easy to reheat, or have something they can prep the day before for their loved ones is good,” Harrison said.
Those who qualify are homebound adults age 60 or older who have one of the following:
Have a significant impact on daily life because of memory loss or cognitive impairmentHave three or more Activities of Daily Living (ADL) impairmentsAre cognitively impaired & with at least three instrumental Activities of Daily Living (IADL) impairments.
For more information about the program, you can call the senior center at 252-747-5436 for an eligibility screening or referral.
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