Health & Wellness

Eight partnerships in San Diego County were each awarded a "JumpStart the Conversation" grant on June 26, 2008.

The winning projects exemplify the use of innovative ideas focused on creating livable communities for all ages and the theme of "lifelong learning for older adults." These strategies, especially those aimed at the more than 11 percent of the San Diego County's population who are 65 years old and over, help strengthen "aging in place" services and help to create opportunities for older adults to acquire new knowledge and skills. Click here to view the grants below. 

The grants were introduced after a workshop, titled Enhancing Lifelong Learning: Developing a Livable San Diego County for All Ages, which took place in March at the San Diego Health Services Complex. The workshop was one of a series of regional workshops focused on creating livable communities for all ages. The workshops and grants are part of a national Aging in Place Initiative undertaken by Partners for Livable Communities (Partners) and the National Association of Area Agencies on Aging (n4a), with funding provided by MetLife Foundation. 

The workshop was hosted by the County of San Diego Aging & Independence Services (AIS) department. Grantees were announced at Aging Summit 2008, held at Town and Country Resort on June 26.One grant recipient, Peninsula Shepherd Senior Center, will use the award to partner with Sharp HealthCare to create an Older Adult Healthy Lifestyle workshop, focusing on the theme of lifelong learning for older adults.The workshop will be presented at local senior centers, churches and libraries. 

"With the aging of the baby boomers, it will be important to develop an educational tool for helping people stay healthy," said Jean Durgan, director of Peninsula Shepherd Senior Center. "Through this workshop, we're hoping that older adults can make changes that can possibly extend their life expectancy and help people experience a better quality of life, while remaining in their own local community."

San Diego Jumpstart Grants 

• Alzheimer's Association 
  To expand the Memories in the Making Art Program to provide an art and brain health educational program that will target: 1) older adults who are interested in embracing their creative energies through art; and 2) caregivers seeking creative activities to enjoy with older adults they care for at home via an all-inclusive art kit.
• Bayside Community Center in partnership with San Diego Community College Continuing Education Department, San Diego Futures Foundation, and Temecula Valley Bank's Risk Management Department 
  To teach Linda Vista's diverse older adult population computer skills and financial basics in various native languages. This program aims to increase confidence in computer technology and independence for older adults in the community, which includes Pan Asian, African American, Chinese, Vietnamese, Latino and Caucasian populations. Instruction will highlight: financial scams targeting the senior population, Microsoft Office, financial literacy, online banking and bill paying. Local college students and professionals in the banking community will be engaged as well.
• Friends of Adults Day Health Care Centers in partnership with St. Paul's Senior Homes & Services 
  To launch a "JumpStart the Conversation Through a Language Curriculum" that will address the needs of non-native English speaking older adults. Older adults who attend adult day programs, specifically the program "This Day in History," will learn English through a curriculum customized to their language learning ability; become knowledgeable about events in U.S. history; enhance the health of their brains; and diminish their isolation from the majority population.
• Heritage Clinic 
  To develop a program for  clinicians and peer counselors to assist older adult clients in exploring their individual talents through conversation and  support groups; and to encourage clients to express their thoughts, ideas and expectations though a diversity of medium: painting, textile and photography and other art forms. This program aims to increase self-esteem and community awareness about older adults and their valuable contributions to the local community, and to decrease mental health symptoms. As part of this program, the clinic proposes to develop a multi-media exhibit of artwork that clients have produced. The clinic will widely promote this art exhibit at a local museum and/or a downtown San Diego venue that is well frequented.
• La Mesa Park and Recreation Foundation in partnership with the City of La Mesa and RhythmWorx
  To implement "Rhythm for the Ages," a weekly exercise and educational program utilizing a variety of percussion instruments to create rhythm and movement in educational, recreational, and entertainment venues for any age. The program is designed to reinforce the benefits of a healthy active lifestyle and engage older adult participants in an enjoyable activity that stimulates cognitive processes and encourages social interaction. As a highly visible project, "Rhythm for the Ages" will also introduce area older adults to the existing variety of instructional, recreational, and volunteer opportunities available in their community.
• Peninsula Shepherd Senior Center in partnership with Sharp HealthCare
  To create an Older Adult Healthy Lifestyle Workshop, focusing on the theme of Lifelong Learning for older adults. Coordinating with Sharp HealthCare, this workshop will be presented as a one-day conference or as a five-part series, each part a stand alone class.  This workshop will be presented multiple times at local senior centers, churches and libraries.  
• San Diego State University Research Foundation 
  To develop and pilot a university-based intercultural, intergenerational learning experience for older adults, called the Intercultural Conversation Partners Project (ICPP). This project will bring together a cohort of older adults and international students from the American Language Institute at SDSU for a semester of lunch programs that foster language acquisition; cultural exchange; and intergenerational learning.
• The Arc of San Diego 
  To pay for members of the Senior Program of The Arc of San Diego - Starlight Center to enroll in community art classes. This would enable these senior individuals to: develop creative art skills in a variety of media; connect with community art resources, studios, individuals and galleries; and place finished art works in these venues, at juried art shows and at retail sites

What can you do to improve your community? There are many directions one can take but often times it requires a bit of foresight and planning. For many older adults, something as enjoyable and simple as volunteering can be a perfect use of time, but for many the willingness to volunteer can be met with physical and economic hurdles. Realizing there is much potential in their community members, the Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center of Florida utilized an  Aging in Place Initiative “Jumpstart the Conversation" Grant to engage more older adults in the local arts and culture community.

More than 35 million Americans are over 65, and that population is rising at an unprecedented rate.  The MetLife Mature Market Institute recently responded to this shift with “The MetLife Report on Aging in Place 2.0: Rethinking Solutions to the Home Care Challenge.”  The report serves as a “blueprint” for helping our growing population of older adults stay in their homes, or, “age in place”, through adjustments to residential design, health care, and other services.  Click here to read the full news release (PDF). Or Download the Report here.

More than 35 million Americans are over 65, and that population is rising at an unprecedented rate.  The MetLife Mature Market Institute recently responded to this shift with “The MetLife Report on Aging in Place 2.0: Rethinking Solutions to the Home Care Challenge.”  The report serves as a “blueprint” for helping our growing population of older adults stay in their homes, or, “age in place”, through adjustments to residential design, health care, and other services.  Click here to read the full news release (PDF).

What if your refrigerator gave you breakfast suggestions? Or your bed checked you for health problems while you slept? Our aging population is spurring the creation of a host of friendly household gadgets, including everything from floors that absorb the impact of falls, to mattress pads that assess vital signs and alert health care professionals to any irregularities. Outside the home, technology is in the works to create personalized radio frequency identification cards, which can tell grocery shelves to lower to your eye level or help gym machines adjust to your ability.

The Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism is exploring advances like these, along with the physical and emotional experience of aging, in their project “Brave Old World.”

In 2007, National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA) collaborated with AARP to create a free 10-week walking program that would promote health and wellness for people over the age of 50.  Research indicates that a healthy lifestyle that includes walking regularly has shown to help “significantly reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease, diabetes, obesity, osteoporosis, arthritis, and even some cancers.”  The program also promotes healthy living with weekly education sessions on nutrition and fitness. 

As part of its mission, the National Housing Conference’s research affiliate, the Center for Housing Policy, has created a Housing Policy Toolkit in collaboration with AARP called, “Meet the Housing Needs of Older Adults Toolkit” This toolkit is divided into three sections: (1) how to Provide accessible, safe and affordable homes, (2) how to Improve access to social services and transportation options, and (3) how to Support housing models geared to older adults. 

Nonprofit urban café creates opportunities for local residents in arts and culture and most importantly, in employment.

Enterprise Community Partners provides extensive housing assistance to older adults.  Their portfolio includes more than 30,000 rental homes, worth a total of $1.7 billion of investments in quality of life and well-being for this target group.  Their efforts encompass both financial and operational solutions to senior housing owners so that they may, comfortably and affordably, maintain their current residence.

February 3-5, 2011 - Charlotte, NC

Today, more than ever, we are faced with environmental and economic challenges that will define our generation, shape our future, and test our resilience as cities, regions, states and a nation. Join leaders from across the U.S. as we tackle these challenges head-on and demonstrate smart growth solutions that will reduce our dependence on foreign oil, create a green economy, assure a healthy population, and expand transportation and housing options for all Americans.

Eighty million members of the boomer generation (born between 1946–1964) have reached or are approaching the traditional retirement age of 65. These boomers overwhelmingly want to age in place. Yet few communities are prepared to meet the needs of older residents, or to engage these residents in civic life.

In response, the Center for Civic Partnerships created Aging Well in Communities: A Toolkit for Planning, Engagement & Action.

This brochure highlights the prevalent issues of today affecting all of our communities and provides concrete examples of the myriad types of institutions that have become “Fulcrums of Change” for the betterment of the people and neighborhoods where they are located.

Jackson, MS

A former shopping mall that has been converted into a comprehensive, multidisciplinary health care complex.

Mecklenburg County, NC

A live information service that provides details about local services in Mecklenburg County.

National

A national program that provides a searchable, web-based directory of services, information, and resources for communities across the country.

Hillsborough County, FL

Transportation services for older adults, the disabled and low-income persons throughout Hillsborough County.

 

Charlottesville, VA

A plan created by the Jefferson Area Board on Aging to prepare Charlottesville and the five surrounding counties for the aging community.

Fairfax County, VA

Active steps taken by the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors to prepare for a rapidly increasing older population.

Kansas City, MO

An initiative of the Kansas City Area Life Sciences Institute that has brought unprecedented research and commercialization opportunities to the Kansas City area.

National

An organization that gives low-income families the tools to improve their lives by bringing them access to technology.