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22 Cities and Counties get money
AoA Awards $5.1 Million to Support Seniors
Aging in Place
Sept. 13, 2004 - The
U.S. Administration on Aging (AoA), Department of Health and Human
Services announced today $5,144,959 in 22 grants (16 new) 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 Childrens 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 Childrens 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 Childrens 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.
The U.S. Department of
Health and Human Services, Administration on Aging (AoA), works with a
nationwide network of organizations and service providers to make
support services and resources available to older persons and their
caregivers. For more information about the AoA, please contact: U.S.
Department of Health and Human Services, Administration on Aging,
Washington, D.C. 20201, Phone (202) 401-4541.
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