Outreach event seeks to help seniors in Pahrump

The Pahrump Senior Center is hosting a special event today.

Officials with Easter Seals Nevada will be on site from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. providing daily living items and information for area seniors who simply have a desire to live independently.

LaaRee Drawantz, Director of Assisted Technology for Easter Seals Nevada, said Pahrump seniors in need of items and supplies to make their lives more manageable, should visit the senior center at 1370 W. Basin Ave., today.

There is no cost associated with receiving the supplies.

“Right now we are doing a rural outreach in Nevada and we chose Pahrump to be the first location,” she said. “We are bringing out items from what we call our Nate Project. Our website is NateProject.com. It is part of the assisted technology collaboration for the state of Nevada. We will be bringing out donated items such as medical equipment and other devices to assist individuals who need them.”

Drawantz said she and her colleague, Eric Pesquira, will travel from Las Vegas to Pahrump with a 16-foot U-Haul truck brimming with equipment and supplies, destined for Pahrump’s senior population.

“This is totally free for anyone who needs these supplies,” she noted. “There are no qualifications necessary. You just have to need it. We have items such as walkers, canes, transfer benches, bed pans and incontinence and personal hygiene products such as Depends and bed liners for those who want them. We also provide testing supplies for those with diabetes.”

Additionally, Drawantz said seniors can actually view many of the items online.

“We have a very large assortment of items and supplies,” she said. “If you log onto our website, NateProject.com, and click on ‘Tech,’ you will see we have over 5,500 items that are available on a short-term, long-term, or permanent basis. This is all about helping people to become more independent.”

Drawantz also spoke about devices designed for the visually impaired.

CCTV magnifiers provide vision aid to those who have visual needs, specializing in assisting individuals with macular degeneration.

“We have what’s known as a CCTV, which helps individuals who are visually impaired,” she said. “It will help them to be able to read their mail and such. For seniors who have macular degeneration, glaucoma or cataracts, we have a device where they can put their mail underneath it and it magnifies the print where the person will be able to read their mail.”

In order to provide such services and supplies, Drawantz said the organization was bestowed a grant from the state of Nevada.

“The grant was through the Aging and Disability Services,” she noted. “It is a goal of Easter Seals Nevada to provide this technology and items to our population that really need it here. We are Easter Seals Nevada, so we do service the entire state of Nevada. We will be in the Reno area next week providing similar services to those in need. We will be going to the town of Caliente probably within a couple of months to distribute some items up there as well.”

Drawantz also mentioned the organization’s Independent Living Services for individuals who may need assistance with home modifications.

“They may not be able to get in a bathtub or shower without assistance,” she said. “They may need a walk-in or roll-in shower. They also may need assistance with their vehicles as far as getting a lift for them or having it develop so they can drive independently. Not only do we provide the assisted technology devices, we also have children’s services. We do autism early intervention, so we serve all individuals with all disabilities.”

Contact reporter Selwyn Harris at sharris@pvtimes.com, on Twitter: @pvtimes