By Lois Requist

Humans need connection. Isolation and loneliness, especially in older people, can lead to a decline in health and a lack of desire to get up in the morning. Faith in Action, who is the fiscal sponsor of Carquinez Village, and has been active with services for seniors for many years, is offering our members a new service.

Senior Voices is a way to connect if you’re homebound or if you’d just like to be part of a conversation without even leaving your home, perhaps with a cup of coffee or tea next to you. Some people get anxious speaking in a group or in person. Some have limitations that don’t allow them to get out and away from home. Whatever the situation, seniors have the opportunity to be part of a group conversation without leaving their home.    Currently, three peer-led groups are meeting. Kaiser Permanente is sponsoring these programs, but any senior can participate.

Surviving Cancer Together is the subject of one of these groups. It meets at 1 p.m. every Monday. It’s open to all Solano County seniors, 60 and 0ver, who have survived or are currently facing cancer. This simple toll-free phone call enables you to connect with cancer survivors who understand what you’re going through. Because no one survives alone, this is a chance to share experiences, offer support, and have a positive impact on each other, right from the comfort and privacy of your home. You can get connected to it by calling Faith in Action, 707-469-6675.

Senior Chat connects seniors throughout Solano County in a safe and welcoming environment using a conference call format. This also offers participants the chance to share experiences, offer support, and have a positive impact on others—from your home.

Silver Rainbow is the third group of Senior Voices, and is meant to give support to the LGBTQ senior community. This group meets Tuesdays at 1 p.m. and offers a warm atmosphere and an opportunity to talk about loneliness, grief and loss, chronic illness, or depression. Aging issues for LGBTQ seniors are often compounded with isolation, prejudice, and even ostracization. The facilitator will guide the group through this process, providing a safe and open environment where you can be free to be yourself without judgment.

On another note, for those of you familiar with the senior services available through the Area Agency on Aging, Serving Napa and Solano County, the website is still up and available,  http://www.aaans.org/napa-solano/ but some of the services are in jeopardy. County Supervisor Monica Brown is working on this, so stay tuned!

Next Thursday, May 17, the Carquinez Village Speaker Series will feature the Benicia Fire Department  presenting a program on home safety. That’s at the Benicia Library at 10:30 a.m. to noon. Let’s find out what hazards we may have in our home that we never even thought about! See you there.

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