The town of Rodgau would like to continue to support its older citizens: Since January of this year, Martin Meister has joined the team of the town's senior citizens' counselling service as a new community care worker. He succeeds Carolyn Berck-Koch, who successfully fulfilled this role for almost four years. Community care was established in spring 2022 as a supplement to the existing senior counselling service and is made possible by project funding from the Hessian Ministry for Family Affairs, Senior Citizens, Sport, Health and Care. The primary aim of the service is to support senior citizens at an early stage in order to maintain their independence in their familiar home environment for as long as possible. Martin Meister emphasises that the concept of community care should not be confused with practical care activities. Rather, the focus is on counselling, psychosocial support and prevention. The aim is to stabilise individual life situations and to delay or prevent an impending need for care through timely support. The counselling services are varied and include information on support and assistance systems, domestic help as well as respite and care services. The portfolio also includes adapting living space to changing needs and legal issues such as powers of attorney, living wills and care directives. In addition, Martin Meister acts as an important point of contact for relatives and offers a sympathetic ear if they are lonely or need to talk. The position has been filled by a high-calibre social worker, Martin Meister. He brings with him relevant professional experience from the LWV Hessen, the Diakonische Werkstätten and the psychosocial crisis service. Thanks to his additional training in social psychiatry and his studies to become a deacon, he is able to identify needs-orientated solutions even in difficult problem situations. The counselling sessions take place by individual arrangement in the town hall, by telephone or, if desired, directly at the senior citizens' homes. Citizens are expressly called upon to make use of the counselling service without obligation if they have initial questions or wish to talk to someone. Martin Meister can be contacted at Rodgau Town Hall on 06106 693-1165 or by e-mail at senioren@rodgau.de.
