Ridgefield Answer Book: Seniors

What is SPIF?

SPIF is the acronym for the Senior Positive Initiative Forum, a town committee that works to meet the needs of Ridgefield’s senior population. The chairman is Mary Ann Baldwin, director of Social Services. For information, call 431-2777.

What is the Gold Card?

This is a town discount card for Ridgefielders 65 or older. It is good for discounts at participating businesses and services around town. For information, call Mary Ann Baldwin at 431-2777.

What special housing is available for the elderly and how does one get admitted?

Ballard Green (438-9845) is independent housing for the disabled of any age or those who are 62 years or older with an annual income of less than $42,000. Prospect Ridge (431-9943) is for the frail elderly with 24-hour supervision; the same rules apply. For both, applications are needed.

A complete list of senior housing available in a 14-town region of southwestern Connecticut (including Wilton and Norwalk) is available from the Area Agency on Aging (203-333-9288) in Bridgeport.

Is there day care for the elderly?

Area options include:

• The Village at Waveny Care Center (594-5200/waveny.org) in New Canaan
• Elderhouse (847-1998/elderhouse.net) in Norwalk
• Almost Home Adult Day Care (203-743-6456/almosthomeadc.org) in Danbury

Is there a nursing home in town?

Laurel Ridge Health Care Center, 642 Danbury Road (438-8226/athenahealthcare.com/lr), is a skilled nursing facility that offers short- and long-term rehabilitation services. Call to schedule a tour.

How about a retirement community?

Ridgefield Crossings, 640 Danbury Road (431-2255) offers independent and assisted living, with the Lighthouse Club for those with memory impairment. Residents enjoy their own private apartments with dining, housekeeping, transportation, and concierge services and social programs. Personalized care plans are available.

Regency at Ridgefield is a 73-unit age-restricted condominium project for active adults at 638 Danbury Road. Units are priced at market rates. For information, call 431-1818 or visit tollbrothers.com.

Meadow Ridge (544-7777) at 100 Redding Road in Georgetown is a private complex offering a variety of independent and/or assisted living services, including care for Alzheimer’s patients.

Is there a senior center?

Founders Hall at 193 Danbury Road (431-7000) is Ridgefield’s recreation and education center for seniors. It is open Monday through Friday from 8:30 to 4:30. Founders Hall offers four 10-week semester programs per year. From classes in art history and American history to studies of classical music and world religions, there is a full schedule of academic courses. Oil painting, drawing and a full range of crafts are taught in the Art and Craft Studios. The Computer Lab offers beginning and advanced computer classes. The Fitness Studio has a full schedule of exercise classes including aerobics, yoga, tai chi, and dance. Contemporary and classical movies are offered free in the media room on a regular schedule. Trips are part of the On-The-Road program to destinations such as New York City, Foxwoods, and theater matinées. There are also overnight trips to destinations such as Quebec, Maine, and Washington, D.C.

Drop in for a tour and to register for membership. There is no fee for membership. The Web site is founders-hall.org.

Are there clubs or social groups for seniors?

Many groups meet at Founders Hall or the Recreation Center. Parks and Recreation (431-2755) offers educational as well as recreational and aquatic activities.

AARP (American Association of Retired Persons) has a chapter (see below).

Community Center Card Players meet Tuesday mornings at 10 at the Ridgefield Community Center. Call Chris Robertson at 438-6165 or 438-6962.

OWLS (Older Wiser Livelier Set) meets the first Thursday at Founders Hall from 10:30 to noon; call 431-7000. OWLS serves as a social network for townspeople who want to spend their time with others their own age. Membership is open to any Ridgefielder who is 60 or older, has a spouse in that age range or is retired from working.

The Ridgefield Men’s Club, for retired and semi-retired residents, meets the first and third Wednesday at the First Congregational Church. Visit ridgefieldmensclub.org or call Bud Rigby at 438-5702.

The Senior Men’s Golf Association, for those over 62, plays Thursday mornings at Ridgefield Golf Course. For information, call Bud Rigby at 438-5702.

St. Mary’s Widows and Widowers Club offers spiritual and social outlets as well as support for one another. Call St. Mary’s parish at 438-6538 or Kathy Brennan at 894-1309.

St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church offers senior luncheons. Call 438-3789.

The Main Street Social and Discussion Group meets at the First Congregational Church. Call 438-8077 for details.

What does the AARP offer?

The Ridgefield-area Chapter 4852 meets the second Wednesday (except in July and August) at 10, at the recreation center. Meetings combine socializing with a presentation by a guest speaker. The chapter also sponsors trips, ranging from day trips up to a full week away. Call membership chairman Anna Cleveland at 438-9886 or Al Ryff at 438-5737. For national AARP, call 800-424-3410.

Two programs the chapter offers are the 55 Alive/Mature Driving Course and assistance with income tax preparation. The driving course meets regularly at Ridgefield Crossings. Call Peter Myers at 438-8290. Ridgefielders 60 and older with low to moderate incomes may call the AARP Tax-Aide program to get help in filing their federal and state returns. The free, confidential service is available Feb. 1 to April 15. For more information, call Peter Massagli at 438-2755.

What is Meals on Wheels?

Meals on Wheels (438-8788) delivers lunch and a main meal for those unable to cook for themselves. Services can be provided for as many days of the week as needed. There is no income limit or medical condition necessary to benefit. Fees are nominal and no one is turned away for financial reasons.

Do any doctors specialize in senior citizens?

The Geriatric Health Center in Danbury offers specialized medical services for area people 60 and older. For details, call 791-5040. Danbury Hospital has an office of geriatric psychiatry. Call 797-7686.

Norwalk Hospital has an office of geriatric medicine. Call 852-3112.

The Brown Geriatric Evaluation Clinic at Waveny Care Center in New Canaan helps families make informed decisions about community services and housing options for the older adult. Call 594-5200 or visit waveny.org.

Whom should I call for special help for the elderly?

The Municipal Agent for the Elderly, Mary Ann Baldwin, is in town hall (431-2777) Monday through Friday from 8:30 to 4:30 and can provide information on community resources for seniors and help seniors fill out applications for a state prescription discount card (Conn-Pace), fuel and energy assistance and rent rebates. She is available for home and agency visits by appointment.

The Ridgefield Visiting Nurse Association offers a Senior Care Management Program to help residents maintain independent living safely in their own home. (See below.)

Is there special transportation for the elderly?

FISH (438-8044) provides free rides to senior citizens and disabled residents to medical and therapy appointments in Ridgefield, Wilton, Danbury and Norwalk; call a week or more in advance of appointment to schedule a ride. The service is available from 9 to 5. Anyone interested in volunteering to drive one day a month may call Ruth Sell at 438-4366.

The Ridgefield Visiting Nurse Association’s Friendly Driver Program helps RVNA patients with no means of transportation get to medical appointments. Call 438-5555.

SweetHART is a public bus system for people over 60 and anyone with disabilities. Door-to-door service in Ridgefield and Danbury is provided with reservations made in advance. Reservations are accepted from two weeks before the trip; early bookings are encouraged. The service is available Monday through Friday from 8:45 to 4:45, with no service on Saturday or Sunday. For reservations, call 748-2511. For information, call 748-2034.

St. Mary’s Van Service takes people to Sunday Mass who would find it difficult to get to church on their own. The volunteer drivers also take people to medical appointments. Call 438-6538.

The American Red Cross offers transportation to scheduled medical appointments. For local appointments, call 792-8200 Monday through Friday from 8:30 to 4. For out-of-area appointments, call weekdays from 10 to 1.

The American Cancer Society’s Road to Recovery program provides free transportation for cancer patients to-and-from their treatment. Call 1-800-889-3340 and press 3 for information. Volunteer drivers are also needed.

Is there a program to help seniors stay in their homes?

RVNA’s Quality Living at Home program has identified and built community partnerships that resulted in enhanced or new services to enable seniors to remain in their homes. This free service includes: a home & property maintenance directory, healthcare options, financial and legal resources, transportation information, social connections, education, and wellness programs. Call RVNA at 438-5555, ext. 1005.

The Ridgefield Visiting Nurse Association offers a Senior Care Management Program to help residents maintain independent living safely in their own home. Services include personal care, medical care, home management, and financial issues. An initial consultation by a licensed clinical social worker is courtesy of the Ridgefield VNA for Ridgefield residents. Call 438-5555.

Ridgefield VNA also offers help with light housekeeping, laundry, bathing, shopping, meal preparation, transportation, companionship, and personal care such as feeding, dressing, bathing and toileting. Call 438-5555.

Family & Children’s Aid Homemaker/Companion program, 75 West Street, Danbury, is available to assist the elderly in everyday tasks so they can remain independent in their own homes. Mature workers help with chores such as meal preparation, housework, grocery shopping, companionship, laundry, etc. For information, call 748-5689.

Family and Children’s Agency offers carpenter services, chore services, home health aides, homemakers, companions and assisted transportation. Call 855-8765 or visit online at familyandchildrensagency.org.

Is there a service that will check up on senior citizens living alone?

The Ridgefield Woman’s Club sponsors Are You OK?, which provides a daily phone check to Ridgefielders over 60 or to those who are homebound or medically disabled. For details, call 438-6777.

HealthWatch, sponsored by the Ridgefield Visiting Nurse Association (438-5555), offers seniors a pushbutton communicator to summon help in an emergency.

The Ridgefield Visiting Nurse Association offer Lifeline, a medical alert service. A pushbutton communicator that signals Lifeline personnel of an emergency. They will phone immediately, and if no one answers, help will be sent. For details, call RVNA at 438-5555.

Ridgefield’s Department of Social Services provides seniors and the disabled with deactivated cell phones capable of reaching 911. Call Mary Ann Baldwin at 431-2777.

Does anyone offer a companionship program?

Companions are provided by the Ridgefield Visiting Nurse Association on a private pay basis. Call 438-5555.

Does anyone help seniors run errands?

The Friendly Shopper Service Program matches volunteers with seniors and disabled people who need a companion to take them shopping. Call Mary Ann Baldwin at 431-2777.

Does anyone help with insurance forms?

The Norwalk Hospital Volunteer Medicare Information Service offers help to anyone interested in Medicare or supplemental insurance assistance. Call 852-3325 and leave a name, telephone number, and the best time for a volunteer to return the call. Norwalk Hospital volunteers who are knowledgeable in dealing with Medicare and supplemental insurance provide this free confidential counsel as a community service.

Where can I get consumer help?

Senior citizens can get toll-free help by calling the state attorney general’s senior advocate hotline.

Staffed by senior volunteers, the program helps those who may have been victimized by scams or who may be suspicious about an organization. The hotline may be called Monday through Thursday, 8:30 to 1:30, at 800-660-7787.

Are there any tradespeople who offers special services to seniors?

A directory of senior services published by the town’s Commission on Aging (see below) offers a list of area tradespeople who have expressed an interest in providing services to seniors. Some offer senior discounts. While the commission has reviewed licenses and insurance, it cannot endorse any of the contractors or guarantee their work.

How can I get more information on services for the elderly?

The town’s Commission on Aging publishes a handy guide called Ridgefield Senior Services. Copies are available at the information office in the town hall. If you need a copy mailed, call Mary Ann Baldwin at 431-2777 or the switchboard at 431-2700. A list of senior services is also on the town Web site at ridgefieldct.org. Click on Commissions, then Commission on Aging.