The Public Service Award (as per the Omaha Bar Association’s website) is presented to an individual or group who/which have shown the following: (1) The public's knowledge of the law or the legal system has been enhanced in some significant way by the recipient's efforts; (2) The recipient has focused on providing service to the community for purposes other than pecuniary profits; and (3) The recipient has demonstrated long term commitment to the enhancement of the public's knowledge of the law.

This year's award recipient is more than deserving: Eastern Nebraska’s Office on Aging, whose mission is to provide enough support to the elderly that they can remain at the home of their choice for as long as possible. The ENOA itself serves the Douglas, Cass, Washington, Sarpy, and Dodge counties. Acting as a hub to other elderly services, it also brings some of its own, such as the more well-known “Meals on Wheels." 

Graciously, the Executive Director, Trish Bergman, agreed to an interview. She had been working with the ENOA for the last fifteen years during its incredible fifty-one years of service to those in need in Nebraska.

Led into her quaint and simple office, the Executive was both stately and welcoming.

 Warm pleasantries followed, and then we began,

“What are a few of the biggest issues facing our elderly?”

“Housing, transportation, social isolation. COVID isolated people even more.”

Her words rang so true: the West is more age-divided and solitary than ever before, since the history of the beginning of civilization. Children are sent to school for eight hours a day, and then sent to daycare for four more hours after, and then the grandparents are shuffled off into nursing homes. Our conversation flowed just into that,

“And nursing homes are so expensive." Trish added, "We save the government millions by keeping people off Medicaid programs, and we don’t even have money for marketing. No one knows about us.” The ENOA is facing budget cuts, so much so that she, perhaps not in lamentation but in the knowing way that comes with experience and age, spoke on how their organization only has enough funding to support ninety in-home caregivers throughout all five counties. While they also have other programs, one such program is running nineteen senior centers where they provide noon meals, social activities, and tai-chi. Trish foredoomed what was to come.

“The Silver-Tsunami is coming."

My eyebrows came up,

"Is that a term used in reference to the boomers?”

“Yes. There is simply a non-priority of Elderly funding.”

While listening to her talk, the debater side of me wasn’t sure anyone could play a devil’s advocate right then: when driving by a nursing home, how busy does it look? When I was a child myself, I recalled my father bringing me to see my grandmother, who was ten years with Alzheimer's. He tried taking care of her at home for years, but when her needs became too much, he moved her into one, and we visited often.

There were no other young children inside, ever. I saw no working-aged adults visiting parents, but for my father and the staff.

Trish and I spoke about the importance of the presence of grandparents in a child’s life when she informed me that the ENOA has a foster-grandparent system, where some who are aged go to schools to read books to children, among other activities.

“If we can provide a bath, a meal, some light cleaning, or even a conversation…” There was no urging in her voice – just a wishful line.

From the National Library of Medicine, a report titled “Social Isolation and Loneliness in Older Adults: Opportunities For the Healthcare System” states that approximately 25% of adults aged 65 or older are considered to be socially isolated, and 43% report feeling socially isolated and lonely.

Unfortunately, someday the silver-tsunami will be there too, and to offset that donations of time and money, or a change in the cultural lifestyle of the United States in regards to the elderly, would be pertinent.

Thank you, Eastern Nebraska Office of Aging for what you do, and congratulations on the Public Service Award.