5 minute read

Yep, We Do That

From page 1 What’s the first thing you think of when someone mentions SourcePoint? The enrichment center? Meals on Wheels? Social gatherings? Did anyone think of emergency response systems? Or transportation? Or supplies for your pets? While SourcePoint is well known throughout Delaware County, there are still several things the organization offers that may come as a surprise to many. Annette Leatherman, SourcePoint’s customer service supervisor, is used to sharing information about those lesser-known services.

“We field every call that comes in to SourcePoint, and handle all the walk-ins and email requests,” Leatherman said. “Most people don’t know where to begin. They may say, ‘By chance, do you do this?’ It amazes me every day just how many people we can help, whether they have simple or more complicated requests.” Leatherman, pictured above, said one of the most frequent requests is for transportation to and from doctor appointments. While most people are aware of the public transportation offered by Delaware County Transit, their requests are often for out-ofcounty appointments. “We try to arrange for that. With higher gas prices it can be costly, but we try to do our best,” Leatherman said. Renee Menssen, information and referral specialist at SourcePoint, said people are often surprised to learn SourcePoint offers emergency response systems, which she said people may know better as the “help, I’ve fallen” button. “The nice thing about getting that from SourcePoint is there is no contract or obligation. You are not locked in for any time; it is month to month,” Menssen said. “If you’ve had a setback or procedure, you may just need it for a short time. We try to meet that need while you have that need.” While many are familiar with the thousands of hot meals that are delivered throughout Delaware County via the Meals on Wheels program, it’s often a surprise to learn that people can receive food for their pets, as well. “When someone knows that they can receive pet food, that eliminates them rationing their own meal,” Leatherman said. “That has been really well received in the community.” Menssen cited another type of product that people are surprised to learn they can receive from SourcePoint. “Incontinence products can be part of the in-home care services that people receive,” Menssen said. “And if they are signing up only for that, it’s perfectly fine. It is a huge convenience; the items are direct shipped to your home so there’s no struggle with the bulkiness of the containers or getting them in and out of your car and your cart. And it’s a little more discreet.” Once people become aware of the extensive list of services that SourcePoint offers, Leatherman said they’re often quick to share the information with friends and family members. “We often hear, ‘We just moved here and my neighbor said you did this,’ or ‘I bet I talked to 10 people this week and they all mentioned SourcePoint,’” Leatherman said. “That’s great to hear.” In some cases, such as with SourcePoint’s popular New to Medicare classes, word-of-mouth can lead to requests from people outside of Delaware County. “The Medicare classes are a very popular program that we provide, and we get a lot of requests to bring family from other counties,” Leatherman said. “Unfortunately, this is for Delaware County residents only, but we always refer others to their county’s Area Agency on Aging office. We also have informational video presentations on our website—MySourcePoint.org—and you don’t have to be a resident to watch those.” Word-of-mouth recommendations also keep the enrichment center hopping; it’s one of the more well-known parts of SourcePoint, but Leatherman said there are still some aspects of it that come as a surprise to residents. “People may not realize we have an exercise pool here, or regular concerts,” Leatherman said. “Or that you don’t have to have a SourcePoint community pass to enjoy lunch here.” Menssen said those who get the most use out of the enrichment center are among the more active members and are typically the ones who know less about the in-home care services offered by SourcePoint. “They may not know all of the things that in-home care can offer, and why,” Menssen said. “We have the ‘fun’ side of the house— the enrichment center—and the service side, and we work together. I’ve had folks who come in for in-home care and I let

them know what’s available at the enrichment center.”

One additional service that Leatherman said will soon be available is another that is frequently requested. “We were getting a lot of asks for a Notary Public, and the person who did that for us wasn’t in the building,” Leatherman said. “I’m in the process of getting my license and we’ll be able to offer that here, too.” Having two sides of SourcePoint to promote means there are few slow days for Leatherman and Menssen. But when you love talking about SourcePoint, you wouldn’t have it any other way. “We have to keep on top of everything that’s going on, and I guarantee there is something we’ll talk about that you’ll be interested in or that you will want in your life,” Leatherman said. “We always joke that the more we do at SourcePoint, the more people think we do. But if SourcePoint can’t do it, we’ll figure out who does.”

Jeff Robinson is the feature writer for My Communicator.

Making sense of Medicare.

SourcePoint’s free classes take the mystery out of Medicare and empower you to make sound insurance decisions. Classes are held at SourcePoint and other locations throughout Delaware County, and are available

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Learn more at MySourcePoint.org/insurance.

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