New State Coalition for the Aging

1
Successful Aging Friendly Community Initiatives

• Presented by
• New State Coalition for the Aging
• NYS Association of Area Agencies on Aging

2
Where does Age-friendly come from?

• World Health Organization
• http//www.who.int/ageing/age_friendly_cities/en/i
  ndex.html
• Annotated Bibliography for Age-Friendly
  Communities and Community Empowerment New York
  State Office for the Aging

3
Community Planning Initiatives
4
Community Planning Initiatives

• Broome County Aging Futures Partnership
• Robert Wood Johnson grant
• Community volunteers and providers of services
  met with staff from AAA for facilitation
• Tackled transportation, housing, chronic disease
  wellness
• Political buy-in grew from the results from the
  RWJ grant
• University of Binghamton doing neighborhood
  studies
• Kathleen Bunnell 607-778-2411 at Broome County
  OFA
• Aging Futures.org

5
Community Planning Initiatives

• Westchester County
• Livable Community Village Approach
• Began in 2000 with a project to identify issues
  that elderly identified were needed to stay in
  their communities their homes.
• Lead to Livable Community Village in each of the
  9 regions in the County to continue work
• Public-private partnership that works out of a
  non-profit in each region focuses on local
  issues
• Coordination funded by AAA
• Support from County Executive legislators
• Donzene Guishard, Executive Director, Livable
  Communities Project 914-813-6407
• Dzgl_at_westchestergov.com

6
Community Planning Initiatives

• AARP Livable Communities
• Design for living
• Help with local zoning ordinances that encourage
  universal design
• Working on a NYS bill that would require any new
  road to be user friendly for all ages.
• Pedestrian safety audit on web site
• Partner with any group on these issues share
  material
• Will Stoner 212-407-3736 AARP.org/ny

7
Community Planning Initiatives

• Monroe County Two Initiatives
• Began with an initiative of the Rochester Area
  Community Foundation as part an Atlantic
  Philanthropy challenge grant to plan for future
  initiatives to increase civic engagement.
• Produced a report that outlines the barriers and
  opportunities to engage seniors in creating
  system changes
• The identification of action steps lead to
  another grant from Atlantic Philanthropy to
  execute one of the action steps design and
  implement a mentoring program for seniors in the
  city of Rochester school district.
• http//www.racf.org/page10001502.cfm Connecting
  Seniors for Tomorrows Community, Community
  Assessment Report

8
Community Planning Initiatives

• Monroe County Aging in Place
• Why leaving the City of Rochester
• What can be done to stop the exodus
• Chosen as one of the Aging in Place communities
  supported
• Done with support of the Mayor
• City Community Development Dept convened AIP
  Steering Committee
• Developed recommendations about community design,
  housing, regional land use and development,
  transportation
• Ann Marie Cook LifeSpan 585-244-8400

9
Community Planning Initiatives

• North Hempstead Department of Services for the
  Aging
• NNORC project in one of their communities
  initiated development of Planning Advisory
  Committees for each region of the town
• Talked to all organized groups in a region and
  invited them to send a representative to Planning
  Advisory Committees
• Planning Advisory Committee determined primary
  issues and helped developed a plan to address the
  identified issues.
• Support from Town Supervisor
• Evelyn Rothe 516-869-2414 Rothe_at_northhempstead.c
  om

10
Community Planning Initiatives

• John A Hartford Initiative in Capital District
• Planning grant in 2000 initiated a community
  planning process in 4 counties to identify most
  acute community needs for an aging friendly
  community
• State University at Albanys School of Social
  Work received the grant and facilitated the
  process.
• Created Elder Network of Capital Region and
  worked on the number of priorities information
  and referral, transportation health wellness.
• Lasting impact
• Regional collaboration pooling of resources
  between 4 county AAAs
• IR system work supported the development of
  the regional 2-1-1 system and the NY Connects
  efforts
• Successor groups were empowered and continue to
  exist
• Philip Mc Callion, PHD ACSW - Director of the
  University of Albanys Center for Excellence in
  Aging Services 518-442-5347

11
Community Planning Initiatives

• Age- Friendly NYC-Enhancing Livability for Older
  Adults
• Mayor Blumberg initiative follows guidelines to
  become a World Health Organization Age-Friendly
  City.
• Year long assessment preceded announcement
• Four areas of focus community and civic
  participation, housing, public spaces and
  transportation and health and human services
• Created a Age-Friendly NYC Commission, staffed by
  NY Academy of Medicine
• Includes grants for senior centers
• http//www.nyc.gov Aging Friendly Community
• Age Friendly NYC Enhancing Our Citys Livability
  for Older New Yorkers

12
Aging Friendly Initiatives in New York State
13
Addresses Basic Needs
Promotes Social Civic Engagement
Livable Communities
Advances Health Wellness
Fosters Independence
14
Basic Needs
15
Basic Needs

• Echo Housing Ithaca
• 900 SF modular home that can be placed on the
  property of adult children or friend of older
  person
• Avoids zoning issues
• Begun with Rural Housing Development funding
• For income qualified individuals
• Cost of moving modular home barrier for expansion
• Better Housing for Tompkins County, Inc
• 607-273-1630 bhtc_at_betterhousingtc.org
• John Spence-Executive Director
• Andrew Piliero Property Manager

16
Basic Needs

• Umbrella Services of the Capital District
• Membership model to help elderly disabled live
  independently in their homes
• Handyman services, house cleaning, grocery
  shopping, transportation for small hourly fee
• Seniors helping seniors
• Access to licensed plumbers electricians
• Subsidizes low income clients
• 145-315 per year
• Ron Burns Elaine Santore 518-346-5249
• www.theumbrella.org

17
Basic Needs

• Senior Citizens Council of Clinton County
• Purchased a Catholic High School building
• Creating a mixed use campus
• Locating their existing senior center in the
  building
• Tax credit housing project for affordable senior
  and family housing
• Rehabilitating the high school building for
  subsidized 1 2 bedroom apartments and building
  townhouses with subsidized 3 bedroom apartments
• Joint venture with an affordable housing provider
• Maria Alexander Executive Director
• 518-563-6180 mariaa_at_charterinternet.com

18
Addresses Basic Needs
Promotes Social Civic Engagement
Livable Communities
Advances Health Wellness
Fosters Independence
19
Advances in Health Wellness
20
Advances Health Wellness

• Allegany County Community Partnership on Aging
• Rural Health Network of Allegany/Western Steuben
  convenes health and human service providers.
• Share information on aging issues and ways to
  collaborate
• Developed a strategic plan
• Including issues such as transportation,
  employment training and universal design
• Serves as the Long Term Care Coordinating Council
  for NY Connects
• Applied for and received grants Rural Health
  Network is fiscal agent
• NYSOFA Community Empowering grant to implement
  Matter of Balance, Sr. Driver Assessment
  Chronic Disease Management
• Helen Evans, Program Director 585-593-5223 ext
  11 evansh_at_awsrhn.org

21
Advances Health Wellness

• Mercy Care Parish Nurse- Adirondacks
• Tri-Lakes region
• Integration of Spirituality Health
• Approved program American Nurses Association
• Registered Nurses volunteers
• Spiritual physical health
• Counseling advocate
• Building on the regional work in partnership with
  SUNY/Buffalo to sponsor an educational forum
  Aging in Place in the Adirondacks
• Building on Partners for Livable Communities
  initiative Aging in Place in partnership with
  National Association of Area Agencies on Aging.
• Identify common challenges, action steps and a
  work plan -
• Donna Beal 518-523-5581 Mercy Care of the
  Adirondacks
• www. adkmercy.org

22
Addresses Basic Needs
Promotes Social Civic Engagement
Livable Communities
Advances Health Wellness
Fosters Independence
23
Social Civic Engagement
24
Social Civic Engagement

• New York State Civic Engagement Initiative
• National Governors Association Best Practice
  initiative
• Vision statement New York state will be
  recognized as an environment where every older
  adult can be engaged in purposeful activities,
  live as independently as possible, and contribute
  to the social and economic viability of their
  community.
• Volunteering
• Newyokersvolunteer.org
• Volunteer survey across NYS
• Mature Workers
• Enhance relationship between Title V programs
  and Department of Labor One Stop centers
• Re-thinking retirement training for state
  employees
• John Cochran NYSOFA 518-474-7012

25
Social Civic Engagement

• ReServe Elder Service Inc. NYC
• Four years in operation
• Stipend program Reservists paid 10/hr
• Reservists paid by ReServe organizations
  invoiced
• Placed over 900 people 50 in 1000 positions in
  NYC
• Placed in not-for-profit agencies and government
  offices
• Reservists work between 14-20 hours
• Recruitment strategies
• Work being done by Reservists
• Building capacity, expanding services
  organizational development
• Jess Geevarghese - 212-792-6205
  jgeevarghese_at_reserveinc.org

26
Social Civic Engagement

• Other Civic Engagement Volunteer Programs
• NCOA RespectAbility
• Resource Boom - talent pool of adults 55
• What is holding NFP back?
• Some experiences of programs trying to recruit
  55 volunteer in leadership/management roles
• NCOA.org

27
Social Civic Engagement

• Experience Corps
• A national program of Civic Ventures
• One program located in NYS is a 13 yr old program
  of Community Service Society of New York
  (cssny.org/services/experience corps/)
• Volunteers work in their own communities doing
  literacy support with students.
• Meticulous, research-based approach to help
  children at risk of academic failure.
• 150 volunteers in NYC program
• Kemba J. Tamar Experience Corps Director
  -212-614-5499

28
Social Civic Engagement

• Mather Café Plus
• Model developed in Chicago
• 5,000 SF café that serves the public food and has
  programming aimed at older adults
• Sites are modern and placed in the center of
  neighborhoods
• Betsie Sassen -847-492-6806

29
Addresses Basic Needs
Promotes Social Civic Engagement
Livable Communities
Advances Health Wellness
Fosters Independence
30
Fosters Independence
31
Fosters Independence

• Integrated Medicaid Transportation Albany
  County
• Combined Medicaid transportation funding aging
  transportation funding
• Broker-coordinated model one 800 number for
  both populations to use.
• Broker negotiated contracts with vendors
• Allowed Medicaid to come to aging transportation
  providers for medical appointments
• Part of United We Ride Initiative
• Vince Colonno Commissioner of Social Services
  518-447-333 Vcolonno_at_albanycounty.com

32
Fosters Independence

• Combined Public Aging Transportation
  Schoharie County
• Senior transportation became part of newly
  developed public transportation now one system
• AAA subsidizes public transportation per senior
  who rides tokens distributed by AAA
• Fixed route a demand responsive system
• Also volunteer transportation system coordinated
  by AAA
• For seniors who need more personalized attention
• AAA educates seniors about all the
  transportation options
• Carol Coltrain 518- 827-4270 (h) Joseph
  Patterson Interim AAA Director 518-295-2015

33
Fosters Independence

• Neighborhood NORCs
• Fairport Baptist Homes Community Ministries
• In a suburb of Rochester
• Built on an existing program Senior Options for
  Independence - care management transportation
• Increased outreach, added volunteer programs
• Educational series, newsletter, Matter of Balance
  programming, partnership with companion care
  organization, blood pressure clinics
• 3 ½ years in operation
• Ellen OConner 585-388-2314 eoconner_at_fbcm.org

34
Fosters Independence

• Neighborhood NORCS
• Jewish Family Services NE NY Albany Pine hills
  Area
• Social activities newsletter for seniors in
  neighborhood to connect seniors with NORC
• Number one issue is wanting to stay in their home
• 300 members
• Partnership with home care agency other
  community providers
• Miriam Adler 518- 482-8856

35
Fosters Independence

• Neighborhood NORCS
• Hands on Huntington Project Independence
• One in each county in Long Island
• Partnership in-kind support in each county from
  town in which they are operating
• Also used an Advisory Board of seniors and
  professionals
• Volunteer component friendly visiting
• Care management biggest service
• Alieen Hoffman 516-496-7550

36
What are the opportunities barriers to
developing aging friendly initiatives?
37
Successful Aging Friendly Community Initiatives

• Ann G. DiSarro
• 2777 Rosendale Road
• Schenectady, New York 12309
• 518-370-5378
• ann_at_agdisarro.com