THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, April 21, 1995 TAG: 9504190193
SECTION: CHESAPEAKE CLIPPER PAGE: 04 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY XIAOHONG ZHANG SWAIN, CORRESPONDENT
LENGTH: Medium: 60 lines
After 35 years of experience in caring for the elderly, Helen Spruill of Chesapeake knows something about the subject. She will soon have a chance to share that knowledge in Washington.
Spruill is among 36 delegates from Virginia who will represent the state May 2-5 at the 1995 White House Conference on Aging. More than 2,250 delegates from the nation will join President Clinton to develop resolutions concerning the elderly population.
``I look forward to it,'' said Spruill, 59. ``This is my first White House Conference on Aging, and it's the last one of this century.''
The owner and administrator of Wilton, a residence for adult seniors on Great Bridge Boulevard, Spruill is also a member of the Governor's Advisory Board on Aging, a commissioner on Chesapeake Redevelopment and Housing Authority, chairman of the board of directors of Chesapeake Civic Chorus, a member of the board of directors of Elizabeth River Properties, a member of Friends of Chesapeake Public Library and member of American College of Health Care Administrators.
Spruill said the conference has a full agenda, including initiatives and resolutions on health care, economic security, housing and support services and quality life options.
She said the conference has made a difference over the years in raising awareness of the needs of the elderly and, at the same time, in changing the elders' attitudes toward aging.
The conference has focused the nation's attention on aging, Spruill said, and in addition, laws concerning seniors have been amended many times over the years to meet the needs of the elderly. Special housing programs also have helped seniors in financial difficulty.
``Seniors have more fun now,'' Spruill said. ``That has come through the conference and the programs. They are accepting the aging process. They don't think of themselves as old people anymore.''
Still, Spruill sees current concerns and needs of the elderly that are not addressed. For examples, Spruill said, many elders can't keep up with the ever-increasing health-care costs; Social Security is in a crisis; elders are stranded at home because of a lack of transportation; there's little support of the society for multigenerational families and for grandparents who are taking care of their grandchildren.
The mother of two grown children and the grandmother of three, Spruill, a widow, works 46 hours a week at Wilton and attends organizational meetings almost every evening. She manages to allot some time to her grandson Christopher, 13, driving him to rehearsals with the Virginia Opera.
Spruill leaves time for leisure, attending the roses in her garden and attending the theater.
``You need to have that mental attitude,'' she said. ILLUSTRATION: Photo
Helen Spruill
Expert on elderly care
by CNB