By Greg Ellison

County agency helps install ramp to assist   centenarian Munro

(Aug. 6, 2020) The Worcester Commission on Aging did what it could to make life more comfortable for Les Munro during his final days by installing an access ramp at his residence shortly after his 108th birthday on June 15.

That day was marked by a parade in his honor at the Snow Hill home of his caregiver where the Ocean Pines resident spent his final days. Two weeks later, Munro passed away.

Shortly after the parade, however, his caregiver, Ruth Wright, told Munro’s friends, “We’re having a terrible time getting him out of the house. Do you know anybody that could build a ramp?’”

His friend Jeffery McArthur began making inquiries, which took him to Worcester Commission on Aging Executive Director Rob Hart.

“Rob went over there and then the next day they installed the ramp,” he said. “That’s the fastest government service I have seen in my life.”

Hart said the home improvement assistance was provided through the commission’s Community For Life program that seeks to help seniors maintain independence.

“Anyone that’s in the Community For Life program … or anybody like Mr. Munro at age 108, that we can help get out of their house for a doctors appointment or an emergency,” he said.

In addition to regular phone calls, rides to doctors’ visits or grocery stores, the Community For Life program also provides handyman services.

“We have about six ramps we can put up that we usually set up [for] a three-month period,” he said. “The idea is it fills their immediate need now but we also look for a permanent solution.”

Hart said help in that direction is provided by Chesapeake Housing Mission, a Christian-based nonprofit that has helped nearly 400 lower Eastern Shore families since being founded in 2009.

“In Mr. Munro’s situation, his deck was only 18 inches off the ground,” he said. “We have a couple of ramps that are one piece so all we had to do was carry it over there, screw it into his deck and he was ready to go.”

Hart said the temporary ramp installed at Munro’s caregivers’ residence has already been moved and is now assisting a retired military veteran living near Showell who has trouble walking.

Hart said another elderly resident in Newark with comparable mobility challenges also had a temporary ramp upgraded by the housing mission recently.

“There was a gentleman that goes to dialysis and we were able to put a ramp up for him,” he said. “Now Chesapeake Housing Mission has gone and built a permanent one so we took ours and moved it somewhere else.”

For more information about the Community For Life visit worcoa.org/services/community-for-life/ online or call 410-251-0140.