AoA awards $5.1 million
to support community
services
for Seniors Aging in Place
in 22 cities and counties
September 20, 2004 --The U.S. Administration on Aging (AoA), Department
of Health and Human Services announced today $5,144,959 in 22 grants (16
new grants and six continuations) to help seniors remain independent in
the communities in which they live.
“These projects respond to the overwhelming preference of Older
Americans to remain in their homes and communities,” Josefina Carbonell,
Assistant Secretary for Aging said. “All of the projects will be testing
innovative approaches to helping our older citizens to ‘age in place’
successfully. We are looking forward to sharing the results of these
projects with other communities across the nation,” she added.
The awards, pursuant to Congressional earmarks, will establish
demonstration programs to develop and test models to support older
persons in cities, suburbs and counties that have high concentrations of
older adults living in apartments, townhouses and single family
residences.
New grants are being awarded to private service organizations in Tucson,
Denver, Manatee County (FL), Indianapolis, Boston, Bergen, Union, Essex
and Ocean Counties (NJ), Atlantic City, Buffalo, Rochester, Providence,
Richmond (and Roanoke), Norfolk, Madison, and Seattle. Continuation
grants will be implemented in Miami, Atlanta, Chicago, Albuquerque,
Philadelphia and Pittsburgh.
Most of the demonstration grants will focus on providing access to and
linking health and supportive services for seniors who are living in
these naturally occurring retirement communities; removing existing
barriers to those services, and developing innovative strategies to
enhance the quality of life of residents.
Services provided by HHS’ AoA through the Older Americans Act, such as
nutrition, transportation, health promotion and support for family
caregivers, are important components of the continuum of care needed and
desired by older persons who want to retain their independence.
Providing individuals with greater choices through opportunities for
home and community based services is a major goal of the Bush
Administration.
A description of each new project and funding amount follows:
New Grants
Tucson, AZ, $196,235: Jewish Family and Children’s Service of Southern
Arizona. This project will demonstrate supportive services to elderly
residents in the East Central area of Tucson with the goal of empowering
the community to engage and recognize older adults as valued members of
the community and to enable them to continue to maintain their
independence while aging in place. Partners including public and private
service agencies and the University of Arizona Center on Aging will help
identify needs, create community involvement and plan delivery of
services overcoming transportation, cultural and linguistic barriers.
Denver, CO, $194,924: Allied Jewish Federation of Colorado. This project
will demonstrate supportive services for older adult residents in two
Denver high-rise apartment complexes to enhance physical and emotional
well-being and sustain their independence. In each complex, committees
of residents, apartment complex staff, administrators and project staff
will provide guidance on helping residents identify and meet service
needs including residence modification, home and personal care,
transportation, medical area and recreational and educational
opportunities.
Sarasota, FL, $220,764: Jewish Family and Children’s Service of
Sarasota-Manatee. This project will reach isolated older adults
throughout the county who are unaware of community resources, and with
assessment of needs, will deliver coordinated services with the
involvement of local organizations, agencies, institutions and
businesses. An emphasis will be on reaching older adults who are at risk
of depression and/or other emotional disorders to provide counseling,
case management, volunteer visitations and/or emergency financial
assistance.
Indianapolis, IN, $829,094: Jewish Federation of Greater Indianapolis.
This project will demonstrate two supportive service aging in place
models for older adults living in the greater Indianapolis area. One
model will develop and deliver services in an apartment complex, the
other in a single family and multi-family neighborhood. Both will
feature intergenerational support networks, resident councils with the
goal of decreasing isolation, promoting independence and increasing
access to community organizations and services.
Boston, MA, $686,824: Jewish Family and Children’s Service. This project
brings supportive services to three neighborhoods and housing
developments in greater Boston Metropolitan Area (Brookline, Maiden and
Swampscott) where the majority of residents are age 65 and older. With
partner agencies and organizations, resident councils and volunteers,
the grantee will offer a comprehensive array of affordable health,
mental health, fitness, social, educational, recreational and personal
care services.
Atlantic City, NJ, $122,647: Jewish Federation of Atlantic and Cape May
Counties. This project will conduct a demonstration of the delivery of
social, health, and case management services to older adult residents of
two apartment buildings on the Southern edge of Atlantic City. The major
of residents are over age 60, many whom were displaced with expansion of
gambling casinos. A partnership of agencies, organizations and service
centers will assess and provide support for social, medical and
emotional issues of residences using the services of a neighborhood
community center and home delivered services provided by professionals
and volunteers.
Bergen County, NJ, $196,235: United Jewish Federation of Bergen County
and North Hudson, New Jersey. This project will deliver near-home and
home services to older adults living in a high density suburban area
that includes 70 municipal jurisdictions where residents are often
isolated by a fractured public transportation system that limits older
adult access to needed services. Challenges will be met collaboratively
with partners and with public and private agencies and organizations
offering case management, nutrition, adult day care, health, social,
cultural, educational recreational and wellness programs.
Morris County, NJ., $196,235: United Jewish Communities of MetroWest,
New Jersey. This project will test a suburban services model of
delivering supportive services to a high density area of well and frail
elderly living in an eight square mile section of Morris county and
Parsippany, New Jersey, with the goal of maintain independence as long
as possible. Older residents will be contacted using volunteers from
local churches and community organizations to arrange assessment of
priority needs for services delivered through partner public and private
organizations in cooperation of the county Division of Aging.
Ocean County, NJ, $245,294: Jewish Federation of Ocean County. This
project will demonstrate delivery of social, health and case management
services to older adults living in three age-restricted, active adult
gated communities in Ocean County. Isolation of older adults who can no
longer drive but need assistance to maintain their residence is a
challenge in areas with limited public transportation. Access to
community services and delivery of some services in the homes will be
accomplished with partners and of private and public service agencies.
Buffalo, NY, $98,118: Jewish Family Service of Buffalo and Erie County.
This project will develop and refer supportive services to Italian
American older adults aging in place in downtown Buffalo. Residents
living in private and public low-rise housing developments, townhouses
and single family units within a one-mile radius of a community center
will be encouraged to participate with project partners as volunteers to
help project partners assess needs and deliver services.
Rochester, NY, $98,118: Jewish Family Service of Rochester. This project
will implement a supportive services program for older adults living in
two apartment complexes in the City of Rochester and suburban Brighton
through a partnership of landlords, social service providers and other
community institutions. Its goal is to sustain the independence of
residents by increasing their connection with the resources of their
community including an integrated array of services.
Providence, RI, $49,059: Jewish Seniors of Rhode Island. This project
will conduct a falls prevention program for residents of a senior
apartment complex in the City of Providence. Tenets will be visited by
graduate students in Geriatrics and Pharmacy programs of the University
of Rhode Island to identify environmental hazards and conduct
comprehensive prescription drug review to reduce risks. It will also be
a test site for a Tai Chi exercise program to strengthen muscle tone,
improve gait and increase balance.
Richmond, VA, $196,235: Jewish Family Services of Richmond. This project
will demonstrate delivery of services to low and fixed income older
adults in two Richmond neighborhoods and a third site in Roanoke
(Southwest Virginia) to help them maintain independence in their own
homes. Residents and resident managers will work in collaboration with
service and community organizations, to integrate social services,
socialization, education, and health and wellness activities and
services in each site.
Norfolk, VA, $171,705: Jewish Family Service of Tidewater. This project
will provide supportive services to linguistically and culturally
isolated older residents in two apartment complexes in Norfolk and
Virginia Beach, Virginia. Social, healthcare and recreational services
will be provided on or near each site by community service providers,
property owners, businesses and the volunteer assistance of other
neighborhood residents.
Seattle, WA, $147,177: Jewish Family Services of Seattle. This project
will develop and conduct a comprehensive health promotion project in
three diverse residential areas of suburban Bellevue, Washington, with
high concentrations of immigrant elders. A variety of health promotional
activities, including health fairs, educational programs, physical
fitness activities and a fall prevention program will be offered through
partnerships with managers of apartment house, University of Washington
and the local area agency on aging.
Madison, WI, $343,412: Oakwood Lutheran Homes Association. The Madison
Area Continuing Care Consortium will develop a community-based
supportive service program in a residential urban area in Dane County,
Wisconsin, with the goal of improving the quality of life for older
adults and reduce the cost of care through improved coordination between
medical and social service providers and the creation of a senior
association.
Continuations
Miami, FL, $245,294: Greater Miami Jewish Federation. For 2004, the
project will involve a neighborhood worker (ombudsman) in each of four
sites. This individual will identify common needs of the residents,
develop a plan, and broker needed services for a group of residents to
more efficiently use these services. The worker would also organize
volunteers from the neighborhood to provide some services like simple
home repairs, friendly visits, or organize social outings.
Atlanta, GA, $73,588: The Jewish Federation of Greater Atlanta. This
project is a part of a larger community initiative overseen by the
Atlanta Regional Commission entitled, Aging Atlanta. Each Naturally
Occurring Retirement Community site is based on three major objectives:
1. building individual capacity to age at home; 2. building neighborhood
capacity to support aging at home; 3. and building a more “elder
friendly” community through working with organizations, businesses and
religious institutions to more effectively serve older adults.