Having a hot meal provided for them and transportation services are among the top needs for area seniors.

Several hundred surveys were sent out to seniors through churches, senior centers and other agencies asking them about their needs. About 43 percent responded. There are more than 13,000 people older than 60 in the Barren River area.

The information is used to help seek funding and program services by the Barren River Area Development District Aging Services, according to director Michelle Hines.

“If we have an opportunity to develop a special program, we can also take this information to give us ideas,” she said.

Most seniors preferred having home-delivered meals, but community meals offered at senior citizens centers also were important, Hines said.

BRADD contracts for those services to be provided. At the end of December, 371 seniors were provided a hot meal each weekday at senior centers during the preceding quarter, and another 392 received home delivery of hot meals in the region.

“This survey really legitimizes our need for funding for the meals programs,” Hines said.

Seniors who get those meals and the fellowship at the senior centers are appreciative.

“We see a lot of positive responses,” said Sandy Knight, director of senior services for Community Action of Southern Kentucky. “I just got an e-mail last week from a daughter of someone who just started coming. She said she has seen a tremendous difference in her father in just a week and a half. He was happy and he had made some friends. There are several people that just the socialization alone helps.”

And in Warren County, the senior center is in the same building with Bowling Green Parks and Recreation, so many seniors also are able to participate in exercise activities there, Knight said.

Seniors also said they needed homemaking services such as shopping, laundry and other home tasks, but also high on the list was the need for information and assistance to help the elderly and disabled find services they need.

Hines said the number of people wanting more information surprised her but that could be because of an increase in younger seniors entering the system who are unaware of available services.

Seniors who were surveyed said more information could be provided mostly through newspaper advertisements, advertising fliers and television. A small number suggested using churches or holding informational meetings at senior centers.

Still, it probably points to the need to try to get out more information about what services are available, she said.

Seniors also are in need of transportation, although there is some limited transportation available to senior centers.

“We always have a greater demand for transportation than we can provide,” Knight said.

For those who help care for seniors, their No. 1 need was in receiving one-on-one contact to help find the proper assistance and help in developing care and management plans. A close second was respite care, where the caregiver could have some temporary relief to the daily job of providing care.

Across the region, there are adult day care services for qualifying individuals. There also are private for-pay services that offer such help.

Hines said she also surveyed seniors who are part of a growing group nationally: grandparents raising grandchildren. Their top needs were the same as caregivers for adults. But they also would like to see more money allocated for grandchildren’s camps or lessons, more help with clothes and school supplies and a helpline to call for advice.

— For more information about services that are available for seniors in the area, call Michelle Hines at 781-2381.