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The City of Fremont Human Services Department (COF) in partnership with the Tri-City Elder Coalition (TCEC) is proud to announce that it has been awarded a $750,000 implementation grant from The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) to improve long term care and supportive services for at risk older adults in the Tri-City area of Fremont, Newark, and Union City, CA.
The project is called "Aging, the Ultimate Adventure… Journeying Together."
The Partnership was originally one of 11 sites out of 486 applicants nationally to receive a planning grant to develop a comprehensive community action plan for older adults. Now, after completing the18-month planning process, the Partnership is one of 8 sites awarded a four-year implementation grant. The grant was awarded through The Foundation's Community Partnerships for Older Adults program, an initiative created to foster community partnerships that will improve long term care and supportive services systems to meet the current and future needs of older adults.
The Partnership is comprised of over 60 member organizations serving seniors in the Tri-City area and the goal is to work collaboratively to provide, coordinate, and integrate services that will help improve the quality of life for seniors in the Tri-City area.
"We are fortunate and excited to have received this prestigious implementation grant! We share the pride of this success with dozens of community organizations, which have contributed many of their ideas, their time and their hard work to developing an action plan worthy of implementation. We look forward to continuing this community building effort on behalf of older adults and their families," stated Mary Anne Mendall, Administrator for the Aging & Family Services Division of the City of Fremont Human Services Department and the manager of the project.
This initiative is consistent with the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation's longstanding commitment to support communities in which older adults can remain in their homes and neighborhoods and continue to live full, independent lives. The project will work to:
- Advocate for seniors and promote public awareness of healthy aging.
- Increase access to senior services, including expanding opportunities to serve seniors in their homes, and addressing the needs of the multi-lingual senior population.
- Improve senior mobility, including driver safety classes, exercise classes, and expanded transportation services.
- Promote community involvement, and foster resource and information sharing among groups serving seniors.
- Encourage cross-cultural and intergenerational exchanges.
- Foster vital and active roles for seniors.
"There is no one-size-fits-all program that can adequately meet the diverse needs of older adults. Each of these communities understands that, and they are generating new approaches that address the unique long term care needs of older adults in their communities," said Jane Isaacs Lowe, Ph.D., senior program officer at The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.
The projects focus on two groups of older Americans: those 60 years of age or older who are at increased risk of disability because of poverty, race or ethnicity, chronic illness, or advanced age; and older adults with physical or cognitive impairments who require long term care and supportive services.
"The City of Fremont and The Tri-City Elder Coalition has realized that it takes more than a single agency or organization working alone to improve the long term care and supportive services system. The Partnership is 'pushing the envelope' to develop solutions that fit their unique circumstances and priorities," said Elise J. Bolda, Ph.D., national program director. The Community Partnerships for Older Adults program is based at the University of Southern Maine's Muskie School of Public Service. The Duke University Long Term Care Resources Program provides technical assistance for the program, under the direction of Beverly S. Patnaik. More information about the Community Partnerships for Older Adults program is available on the program's Web site at: http://cpfoa.org/ ###
The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, based in Princeton, N.J., is the nation's largest philanthropy devoted exclusively to health and health care. It concentrates its grantmaking in four goal areas: to assure that all Americans have access to quality health care at reasonable cost; to improve the quality of care and support for people with chronic health conditions; to promote healthy communities and lifestyles; and to reduce the personal, social and economic harm caused by substance abuse - tobacco, alcohol and illicit drugs.
The University of Southern Maine's Edmund S. Muskie School of Public Service educates future leaders, broadens civic participation, and conducts leading research in: health policy, child & family policy, community & economic development, and public sector innovation. The Muskie School's three nationally recognized policy institutes receive more than $20 million annually to conduct research projects and public service activities in every county of Maine and every state across the nation. The Muskie School is based in Portland and Augusta, Maine.
The City of Fremont Human Services Department works to support a vibrant community through the creation and maintenance of services that empower individuals, strengthen families, encourage self-sufficiency, enhance neighborhoods, and foster a high quality of life.
The Tri-City Elder Coalition is an affiliation of health care and long-term care providers, community and governmental agencies, elected officials, caregivers and older adults. The Coalition works to identify and meet the needs of seniors in the community by taking action through advocacy, education, resource coordination and information sharing.
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