Adam Bramburger
Beaver Staff
Lennox and Addington Seniors Outreach Services (L&A SOS) was able to expand its interest-free loan program to help seniors with medical needs and reduce a waiting list for that service, thanks to the 100+ Women Who Care.
At the philanthropic organization’s meeting last week, L&A SOS program administrator Sabrina Charlton spoke about how her organization put over $12,500 to work over the past three months.
“We want to say thank you from the two clients for their eyeglasses. We want to say thank you for my hearing aid client who can now understand more clearly. We want to say thank you for my three dental clients who can now eat real food gain without pain. We want to thank you for the individual who is on Lifeline a little longer until funding becomes available,” she said.
According to Charlton, those are a few examples of what L&A SOS was able to do with the funding. She explained the organization started a dental coalition in 2005 with a small group of people who felt there was a need to assist seniors with costly dental repairs. After all, dentures can run in excess of $2,000 and extractions can cost $450 per tooth. The group started with $5,000 and boosted it sporadically with fundraised dollars. Since, some 90 people aged 55 and over have been helped.
Two years ago, a decision was made to extend the program to include eyeglasses and hearing aids, the latter which can range from $1,000 to $5,000.
“How it works is it’s an interest-free loan. We basically pay out the dentist, hearing aid place or eyeglass place. We take a small minimal payment. If they can’t afford it one month, we don’t take it,” Charlton said, adding the loan is extended as long as a senior needs it.
A number of service providers have been working with L&A SOS to provide affordable treatment and work with clients under the funding model. Basically, interested parties can apply to the organization and those who qualify are given a letter to present for treatment. The L&A SOS fund pays for treatment and the program then interacts with the senior to have the cost reimbursed.
Charlton told the 100+ Women that eligible seniors must live in Lennox and Addington, they must not have private dental insurance or be on ODSP or Ontario Works. There’s a basic income calculation to determine what a senior might be able to afford for their payments. There is a $1,500 cap, but because of rising prices and donations like the 100+ Women’s contribution, Charlton said that cap could be increased to $2,000 in the future.