New Aging in Place Program to Launch in Abington and Surrounding Communities
United Way has chosen VNA-Community Services, Inc. to pilot a new model of community-based aging to help older adults age with dignity in their homes and communities.
ABINGTON, PA (October 30, 2013) – VNA-Community Services, Inc., a local community agency serving Eastern Montgomery County and surrounding communities, has been selected by the United Way of Greater Philadelphia and Southern New Jersey (UWGPSNJ) to pilot a new model of community-based aging in Abington and surrounding communities. The program, named Aging at Home - A Community Network will launch in November and will help seniors age in good health in their homes and communities. The program will serve the communities of Abington, Roslyn, Glenside, Cheltenham, Willow Grove, Huntingdon Valley, Jenkintown, Meadowbrook, Rydal, Elkins Park, Wyncote, North Hills and Ardsley.
On November 6, 2013 at 9:00 a.m., VNA Community Services, Inc. will host a reception for the community to introduce this new program and to share more information about the neighborhood resources available.
Pennsylvania has the fourth highest senior population (65+) by percentage in the U.S. – more than 2 million people. Currently, 89 percent of older adults in Pennsylvania would prefer to remain in their homes as long as possible. Historically, however, aging in place models have not been able to prove that they are sustainable and replicable within Pennsylvania, which has made it difficult to fill gaps in services or assist with extensive waiting lists for the supports seniors need. Unfortunately, without access to adequate health and wellness services, many seniors must enroll in institutional care.
“We know our region’s senior population is only growing, and we want to help create a system of care that’s ready to support them,” said Jill Michal, president and CEO of UWGPSNJ. “Through Aging at Home – A Community Network, older adults living in the Abington area will have better access to the community-based services they need to improve their health and quality of life.”
In 2011, UWGPSNJ partnered with the PA Department of Aging to research and identify national best practices in aging in place models of care, with the objective to leverage the strengths identified to develop and test an integrated model in targeted Southeastern Pennsylvania neighborhoods. Based on these findings, UWGPSNJ designed Aging at Home – A Community Network, which is a three-year pilot program, to help older adults find and connect with an array of resources supporting their ability to age well in place.
UWGPSNJ has selected well-known coordinating agencies to develop relationships with strategic community providers and stakeholders, policy-makers, and health and social service agencies to coordinate access to local social and health services such as health screenings, chore assistance, transportation and volunteer placement opportunities.
“We are proud to partner with United Way to offer this innovative model of community-based services for seniors in our area,” said Rich Cirko, executive director of VNA Community Services, Inc. “VNA’s vision is to build a sustainable age friendly community in Abington and surrounding communities that will value the talents of all members and utilize all community resources including seniors. Providing this type of support will allow the older adults we serve to remain independent, which not only improves their lives but also the lives of their caregivers.”
UWGPSNJ will invest more than $2 million from its Impact Fund into Aging at Home – A Community Network over the next three years, in addition to the nearly $100,000 committed by the Pennsylvania Department of Aging for the research phase of the initiative. If successful, this aging model will allow UWGPSNJ and its partners to create a sustainable and replicable model of supports that improves health and quality of life for older adults, while reducing their reliance on institutional care and lowering costs for the community overall.
VNA Community Services, Inc., in Abington is one of two coordinating agencies selected to pilot the new model. The program will be implemented in the Lansdowne area by Senior Community Services.
To learn more about UWGPSNJ’s healthy aging work, visit www.unitedforimpact.org/agingathome. To learn more about the program in the Abington area, contact Margo Fine-Gabbay, director – Aging at Home – A Community Network at 215-572-7880 ext: 300.
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About United Way of Greater Philadelphia and Southern New Jersey
United Way of Greater Philadelphia and Southern New Jersey, serving communities in Pennsylvania’s Chester, Delaware, Montgomery and Philadelphia counties, and New Jersey’s Atlantic, Burlington, Camden, Cape May and Cumberland counties , is part of a national network of more than 1,300 locally governed organizations that work to create lasting positive changes in communities and in people’s lives. United Way engages the community to identify the underlying causes of the most significant local issues, develops strategies and pulls together financial and human resources to address them, and measures the results. United Way is advancing the common good in Greater Philadelphia and Southern New Jersey by positively impacting the lives of people throughout the region in the areas of education, income, and health. For more information, visit unitedforimpact.org.
About VNA-Community Services, Inc.
VNA-Community Services, Inc., serving Eastern Montgomery County and surrounding communities, is a non-profit
501 (C) 3 agency with a focused mission of providing community-based programs that address family health and social services needs. VNA has cared for its community since 1919 and currently provides in-home services for seniors, connection to benefits for vulnerable individuals and families; access to aging in place services for seniors and primary health care services for children. VNA serves over 5,000 individuals each year. For more information, visit www.vnacs.org.