[Congressional Record Volume 148, Number 8 (Wednesday, February 6, 2002)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E103]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


                   IN RECOGNITION OF SEARCH AND CARE

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. CAROLYN B. MALONEY

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, February 6, 2002

  Mrs. MALONEY of New York. Mr. Speaker, I rise to pay tribute to 
Search and Care, a grass-roots neighborhood agency that has an 
extraordinarily beneficial effect on homebound elderly living in my 
district. Search and Care has been a vibrant part of the community in 
which I live and represent. It is a pleasure to pay tribute to this 
illustrious organization.
  Search and Care is a not-for-profit social service agency that serves 
the homebound elderly in Manhattan's Yorkville neighborhood. Founded in 
January 1972, it is celebrating its 30th anniversary this year.
  In 1971, the Rev. Clarke K. Oler, the rector of the Church of the 
Holy Trinity, convinced an elderly parishioner to get badly needed 
medical attention. He took her to a hospital clinic where she died in 
the waiting room while waiting for her physician. At around the same 
time, he learned of an elderly neighbor who died of starvation. 
Recognizing that other old people would benefit from assistance in 
accessing available services, Rev. Oler took initiative and established 
Search and Care. Search and Care's mission is to find and serve the 
elderly so that they can live safely and independently in the Yorkville 
community. Rev. Oler secured private funds and enlisted the help of 
Suzannah Chandler, formerly a member of the staff of the National 
Council on Aging, to start the program. Ms. Chandler also celebrates 
her 30th anniversary with the organization.
  Search and Care provides a practical response to the difficulties 
faced by frail older people living alone. In the past 30 years the 
agency has worked with over 5,500 elderly homebound people. This year 
the organization will assist 350 men and women whose median age is 82, 
most of whom have no family living nearby.
  Search and Care is an invaluable resource for the elderly citizens of 
my community. Its dedicated professional staff, interns and volunteers 
provide crucial help with the myriad tasks of daily living including 
shopping, paying bills, getting to the doctor, housekeeping and looking 
after pets. This social service agency also intervenes with skilled 
care management in health, emotional, and financial situations that 
might otherwise mean the end of independent living for these senior 
citizens.
  Over the years, Search and Care has accomplished this important work 
through the commitment of some of the finest and most dedicated 
citizens of New York. The work of these extraordinary people has 
developed into a model community-based care management program that 
meets the individually complex and changing needs of the elderly.
  Mr. Speaker, in recognition of these outstanding achievements, I 
salute Search and Care and I ask my fellow Members of Congress to join 
me in recognizing the great contributions of this tremendously 
dedicated community organization.

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