LEXINGTON, Ky. (LEX 18) — Social isolation is a problem that affects people of all ages, and it’s an issue that can be overlooked at times. Local nonprofit "A Caring Place" has made it their mission to make sure Kentuckians dealing with loneliness will not fall through the cracks.
“Social isolation itself, people think it can't happen to them,” said Roxanne Cheney, chairperson for A Caring Place.
The nonprofit works to look for people going through social isolation, especially within the elderly or disabled communities.
“With the process of aging or becoming disabled you find out just how very easily you can slip into it,” Cheney said. “Your spouse dies, your friends die, you lose some of your abilities, your own dreams die. I mean just a series of losses one upon the other and all of them leading right into social isolation.”
A Caring Place puts on various programs and events at locations around Lexington, including “villages” where people can come to meet and mingle. However, their process also includes going door-to-door for home visits.
These door-to-door visits are more than just check-ins. They're about going out into the community and building relationships with people who might be struggling with loneliness, showing that there's someone out in the community that truly cares for them
“Some of them who might not have even opened up the door but a crack to talk to you before now are actually going over to places like CenterWell and playing bingo on Thursday,” said Cheney. “That's what we look at as a real success, when they can actually become a part of the community that for whatever reason they left sometime several years ago.”
Cheney said her passion to grow these programs comes from her faith and her experience.
“First, I am old myself, so I very definitely relate to the things that are going on with older people, so I feel I could be a pretty strong advocate of them," The second reason, she continued, is “one of my very firm beliefs is we are put here on earth to be the hands and feet of Jesus and serve others, because that's what He did.”
In the past year, A Caring Place went to the city council to share about their programs, hoping to spread more community opportunities throughout Lexington. Those discussions helped lead to “villages” meeting at spots around Lexington throughout the summer, with the goal of providing companionship for people of all ages.
You can learn more about A Caring Place and their programs here.
