Aging and Human Services

Regional organizations strive to improve the quality of life in communities through various programs. Programs providing preventive medicine and making low-cost medication and housing available to senior citizens through partnerships continue after specific projects are completed.

The Northwest Piedmont Council of Governments (COG) partnered with the United Way to supply the region’s first 211 Initiative, providing non-emergency information for the elderly. The COG, the region’s Area Agency on Aging (AAA), allocates in-kind services to provide the initiative with information for a comprehensive human services database providing information for the 211 telephone responders. Information, such as whom to contact for home delivered meals and public transit resources, will be available 24 hours a day, seven days a week beginning October 2001.

The East Alabama Regional Planning and Development Commission’s Prescription DrugAssist Program relieves the increasing expense and financial burden of prescription drugs for the elderly. Local doctors, pharmacies, social service agencies and pharmaceutical companies, as cost-sharing partners, supply medications at little or no cost to the region’s elderly. DrugAssist has served approximately 400 clients with over 2,000 filled prescriptions. The program’s projected savings to individuals is calculated to be up to $400,000. Satellite centers and mobile units provide outreach to the region’s remote and rural areas.

The Seniors’ Health Program, a partnership between the Lee-Russell Council of Governments’ (COG) AAA and East Alabama Medical Center, promotes the health and welfare of senior citizens by offering blood pressure testing or medication management, while reducing their medical costs. In addition, the AAA is able to offer services at the senior center it could not otherwise afford, such as influenza vaccinations. The Area Agency also distributes donated nutritional goods to homebound clients.

The Elderly Medication Program is a one-year pilot project for five counties served by the Northwest Alabama Council of Local Governments and partners. Funding is provided by state senior services, state discretionary funds, city council, and the region’s Resource Conservation and Development Council, allowing the program to help low-income elderly obtain free life-sustaining medications. The council’s three offices and senior centers house a mobile staff consisting of a registered or licensed nurse and volunteers. Seniors are permitted to use the service four times a year and telephone for consultation as needed.

Participants in the New Center for Senior Citizens in Hardin County, Illinois

The Southeastern Illinois Regional Planning and Development Commission and partners developed the New Center for Senior Citizens in Hardin County, Illinois to replace an 85 year old dilapidated school building. Opened in February 2001, the new 8,400 square foot facility is located near a K-12 school, giving the center the ideal setting to eventually expand into an intergenerational service center. Volunteer support and donations have been crucial to the center’s success and senior use has increased by 30 percent.

The Lerman Building Elderly Housing project is a joint venture of the city of Flemingsburg, Kentucky and the Buffalo Trace Area Development District and Housing Corporation. The building, located in downtown Flemingsburg, was once a department store, serving the needs of county citizens. This project will renovate the upstairs into seven units of low-income housing for elderly residents, complete with elevator and a community activity room. This value-added project will offer the low-income elderly population affordable rental housing, revitalize a historic building, and enhance the business district by offering ground floor space as a business incubator for low-income business owners.

The Green River Area Development District’s Volunteers in Nursing Communities in Action establishes an auxiliary of nursing home volunteers to improve nursing home services and the quality of life among nursing home residents. The program recruits volunteers from community groups and trains them in elder care services, such as fall prevention and communication with Alzheimer’s residents. Since the program’s inception, the number of falls and dehydrations of residents has decreased, and volunteer shortages have noticeably eased. Volunteer appreciation and recognition has been central to the success of this program.

The Region Nine Development Commission and partners responded to community needs in 1992 by developing the Fetal Alcohol Syndrome Consortium of South Central Minnesota. Serving an 11-county region, the consortium is a voluntary association of agencies and individuals dedicated to eliminating fetal alcohol syndrome. Members of five committees plan conferences, facilitate legislative efforts, work with media, speak and coordinate youth education. An annual work plan, needs assessment and program evaluation help coordinate program efforts. The program is funded primarily by the state health department.

Upper Cumberland Options for Community Living (Home and Community Based Services Program) was developed by Tennessee’s Upper Cumberland Development District to provide individuals with the assistance they need to live independently in their own homes. The program offers bathing, eating, dressing, caring for the home, cooking and shopping assistance. Caring for individuals in their own homes relieves pressures placed on the Medicare/Medicaid system and the tax system. The program is designed to allow ready access to community resources and improve the quality of life for both caregivers and consumers.

Spring Celebration 2001: A Mardi Gras Festival in North Carolina, planned and hosted by the Northwest Piedmont Council of Governments and partners, offered stimulating activities outside a hospital setting for long-term care-giving staff, residents and volunteers. The festivities allowed staff and patients to interact in a relaxed manner and build a sense of mutual appreciation. Funding for the event was acquired through the local parks and recreation department and various donations.

Following community assessments in the three-county region, the Kankakee-Iroquois Regional Planning Commission identified a need to establish three County-Based Intergenerational Facilities. Implementing the plan required the renovation of one facility and the construction of two new ones. The facilities house Head Start classrooms, a full range of senior activities, childcare services and English language classes. Construction will be complete in 2002. Funding for the facilities comes primarily from community development block grants with local matching funds from co-sponsors and donations.

The Region Acquisition/Demolition Program - Community Clean-up project in Iowa was developed and operated by the Region XII Council of Government (COG) and area communities to clear the region of vacant dilapidated homes and prevent housing sprawl. Targeted properties are appraised and purchase offers are made to the property owners. If the offer is accepted, program funds are forwarded from the COG to the city for the purchase and additional funds are made available to clear the property. The city then sells the cleared property and the fair market value of the lot is repaid to COG. The city is responsible for administration costs and legal fees.

New Center for Senior Citizens in Hardin County, Illinois

The Lower Rio Grande Valley Development Council - AAA, via a survey of the region’s elderly population, identified a need to co-sponsor and operate the Home Modifications Project for the Needy. Working with co-sponsors, a local church and state youth group, the council coordinates home repairs and renovation assistance on a continual basis to the Area Agency’s pre-screened client referrals. During spring break, the youth group travels to the region to donate time to fix and replace roofs, build handicap accessible ramps and provide other needed repairs. l

Award Winners 211 Initiative: Region I Non Emergency Information, Northwest Piedmont COG. Contact: Jessalyn Gooden, 400 W. Fourth St., Suite 400, Winston Salem, NC 27101; (336) 761-2111; fax (336) 761-2112; email regioni@nwpcog.dst.nc.us; web www.nwpcog.dst.nc.us Prescription Drug Assist Program, East Alabama RPDC. Contact: Randall H. Frost, Senior Services, Quintard Towers Suite 300, 1130 Quintard Ave., Anniston, AL 36202; (256) 237-6741 ext. 126; fax (256) 237-6763; email rfrost@adss.state.al.us; web www.earpdc.org Seniors’ Health Program, Lee-Russell COG’s AAA. Contact: Jackie Pinkard, 2207 Gateway Dr., Opelika, AL 36801; (334) 749-5264 ext. 212; fax (334) 749-6582; email jpinkard@coa.state.al.us The Elderly Medication Program, Northwest Alabama COG. Contact: Keith Jones, PO Box 2603, Muscle Shoals, AL 35662; (256) 389-0555; fax (256) 389-0599; email kjones@nwscc.cc.al.us A New Center for Senior Citizens in Hardin County, Illinois, Southeastern Illinois RPDC. Contact: Kimberly Watson, PO Box 606, Harrisburg, IL 62946; (618) 252-7463; fax (618) 252-7464; email sirpdc@midamer.net Lerman Building Elderly Housing, Buffalo Trace ADD. Contact: Robert F. Money, PO Box 460, Maysville, KY 41056; (606) 564-6894; fax (606) 564-0955; email steve.miller@mail.state.ky.us; web www.state.ky.us/agencies/btrc Volunteers in Nursing Communities in Action, Green River ADD. Contact: Brenda Kennedy, 3860 US Hwy. 60 West, Owensboro, KY 42301-0200; (270) 926-4433; fax (270) 684-0714;

email brendakennedy@gradd.com; web www.gradd.com Fetal Alcohol Syndrome Consortium of South Central Minnesota, Region Nine Development Commission. Contact: Amy Olson-Treptow, PO Box 3367, Mankato, MN 56002-3367; (800) 450-5643 ext. 887; fax (507) 387-7105; email aolson@rndc.makato.mn.us; web www.rndc.org Upper Cumberland Options for Community Living, Upper Cumberland Development District. Contact: Wendy Askins, 1225 South Willow Ave., Cookeville, TN 38506; (931) 432-4111; fax (931) 432-6010; email waskins@ucdd.org; web www.ucdd.org Spring Celebration 2001: A Mardi Gras Festival, Northwest Piedmont COG. Contact: Pamela A. Southerland, 400 W. Fourth St., Suite 400, Winston-Salem, NC 27101; (336) 761-2111; fax (336) 761-2112; email psoutherland@nwpcog.dst.nc.us; web www.nwpcog.dst.nc.us County-Based Intergenerational Facilities, Kankakee-Iroquois RPC. Contact: Christopher A. Larson, AICP, PO Box 127, Monon, IN 47959; (219) 253-6658; fax (219) 253-659; email clarson@urhere.net Region Acquisition/Demolition Program - Community Clean-up, Region XII COG. Contact: Joe Behrens or Laurie Gilbert, PO Box 768, Carroll, IA 51401; (712) 792-9914; fax (712) 792-1751; email rhunsaker@region12cog.org; web www.region12cog.org Home Modifications Project for the Needy, Lower Rio Grande Valley Development Council - AAA. Contact: Kenneth N. Jones, 311 N. 15th St., McAllen, TX 78501-4705; (956) 682-3481; fax (956) 631-45670; email knjones@lrgvdc.org; web www.lrgvdc.org

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