Cincinnati / Ohio / United States
A Brief History of Wesley Community Services Since 1992 Wesley Community Services fosters and supports seniors seeking to remain in their home for as long as possible. This is accomplished through the provision of essential home-based services. In 1992, WCS was organized, built on years of providing Meals-On-Wheels to seniors in need awaiting nursing home admission to Wesley Hall Nursing and Rehabilitation Center. Residents of Price Hill, Lower Price Hill, Sedamsville, and other Westside riverfront neighborhoods participated in a needs assessment survey to determine what additional services seniors required to be able to stay at home for as long as possible. The survey results indicated a number of services were of high priority including medical transportation, adult day services, and a senior congregate living facility. By 1997, Wesley Community Services Board of Trustees had developed plans to establish Friendship Hall Adult Day Care in Lower Price Hill. The facility was opened attracting area seniors needing a safe and secure environment to spend their days. In 1997, a medical transport vehicle was secured to help transport seniors to Friendship Hall. In 2000, Friendship Hall was relocated to Westwood, but unfortunately the center closed in 2006 due to low occupancy. In 1999, WCS established its Medical Transportation program to transport seniors and others needing to go to the doctor, hospital, or treatment appointments. In 2003, WCS Medical Transportation program received the STAR Award for Excellence identifying the service as one of the nations premier senior transportation programs by the American Association of Homes and Services for the Aging, a national association comprised of over 5, 600 non-profit agencies serving over 1.8 million seniors daily, and the American Automobile Association Foundation. In 2000 WCS established its Homemaker Program providing home cleaning, laundry, shopping/errands, bill paying, and pet companion care. In 2003, our Homemaker Program was recognized by area seniors as the top program among 34 homemaker programs in Hamilton County. Since then it has consistently received the "Top Quality Rating in Hamilton County" by The Council on Aging of Southwest Ohio. Over the years WCS has grown from a program providing services to Westside community seniors to serving seniors throughout all of Cincinnati and Hamilton County. In 2006, over 1, 700 individual seniors received services through WCS. Almost 200, 000 home delivered meals were delivered, over 21, 000 Medical Transports, and over 15, 000 hours of Homemaker services were provided. Today, our home delivered meals program offers SENIOR CHOICE MEALS TM. These are physician-prescribed meals for seniors with severe diabetes, renal disease, or high blood pressure. In order to provide these very specialized meals, WCS entered into a partnership with Hyde Park Community United Methodist Church and the City of Cincinnati to build in the Erie Building of the church a state-of-the-art Meals-On-Wheels kitchen. Our first meal from that kitchen was delivered on Valentines Day, 2005. Our community based volunteer program, WesleyLinks, is an interdenominational consortium of area churches created by WCS in 2002 to enable member churches to better serve seniors in their congregations. Services are made available to seniors who need support so that they may stay in their own home for as long as possible. The mission of Wesley Community Services, coupled with its long history in the Greater Cincinnati community, is a testament that "We Care for Seniors" and will be here in your community to help you and your loved ones at your time of need.
