Established in 1865 to aid local women in danger of becoming destitute, St. Luke's is a private nonprofit organization whose network of volunteers today provides a range of free services for the elderly: transportation to medical appointments, grocery shopping, minor house repairs, home visits, case management, financial management, information and referrals.
People over age 65 (or veterans over the age of 60) qualify. St. Luke's serves the following towns: Cromwell, Durham, East Haddam, East Hampton, Haddam, Middlefield, Middletown and Portland.
St. Luke's Gatekeepers program, started in 2010, trains volunteers who have contact with the elderly to recognize signs of trouble -- depression, inadequate hygiene, hoarding, impaired reasoning -- and notify agencies that can provide the proper support services.
The offices are on the second floor of Riverview Center, just down from Middletown police headquarters, in Suite 202.