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The $25,000 will cover no-cost transportation to medical appointments and a Virtual Senior Center program.
By Forum Staff
City Councilman Eric Ulrich (R-Ozone Park) and the Queens Delegation have secured $25,000 for Selfhelp Community Services for seniors, including no-cost transportation to medical appointments and a Virtual Senior Center program, Ulrich announced on Tuesday.
The SCS transportation service provides free cars or vans to any senior living in Queens for doctor visits. This covers up to two long distance trips, or four local trips, per month. Rides are scheduled the day before the appointment, between 9 a.m. and noon.
Ulrich noted that seniors eligible for alternative medical transport programs, such as the Hellenic American Neighborhood Action Committee or the Jamaica Service Program for Older Adults, are encouraged to utilize those programs first, as Selfhelp Community Services was meant to supplement existing services.
Additionally, Selfhelp Community Services provides access to a Virtual Senior Center. Eligible participants from around the World’s Borough will be able to join this platform. According to SCS, the virtual center engages homebound seniors into the larger community by using technology to connect them with other participants in a range of activities.
A cornerstone of the VSC program is its interactive, real-time classes where participants can hear, see, and talk with each other in an interactive session. More than 40 classes are typically offered each week, ranging from art history to current events, to museum tours to weight training, and other exercise programming. Classes are offered in English, Mandarin, Korean, and Russian. A Spanish platform will be offered in the near future.
To schedule a free ride to a medical appointment, call the Selfhelp Clearview Senior Center at (718) 224-7888. To learn more about the Virtual Senior Center and eligibility, call (718) 559-4460.
