Yvonne Hatcher of Special Years Plus, Inc. stopped by the Selma Rotary Club Monday to inform Selma’s Rotarians about the importance of elderly care.

Special Years Plus, Inc. is a nonprofit organization that provides services for elderly individuals who need additional assistance.

Hatcher serves as a board member and registered nurse for the program, overseeing needs of clients and training the program’s volunteers.

Services provided by the organization include transportation to and from doctor visits, housekeeping, nutrition monitoring, bathing and even training to help people better take care of elderly family members.

“We want people to know they don’t have to go through this alone,” said Hatcher.

A big part of the program is providing relief for those who do care for a family member all day every day.

“You’d be surprised how many people go through this,” said Hatcher. “People you see every day in your community, in your church or at work are going through this.”

Hatcher became inspired to help the elderly by watching her own mother care for individuals at the rehabilitation center on what is now J.L. Chestnut Boulevard.

“They were handicapped individuals,’ she said. “And while they were there we cared for them.”

Hatcher now uses the nurturing spirit she acquired from watching her mother in her role with Special Years Plus, Inc.

“As you care for these people you have a desire to see them better off on down the road,” she said. “But as they age, things don’t get better for some of them. It only gets worse. As we care for them they get to know us and we get to know them and it’s a love-love situation.”

Selma Rotary Club President Elect James Steele was impressed by Hatcher’s presentation.

“Miss Hatcher was awesome,” he said. “It’s all about understanding our loved ones. You need them taken care of. We all hope to make it that long but when we do we need someone to take care of us.”