AIP Best Practice

Rarely does the subject of water inspire poetic phrases or passionate dedications. While we may occasionally recognize its importance, this appreciation is usually offset by the size of the water bill at the end of the month. Regardless, I’m going to ask an odd question: have you ever celebrated water? If I got a single “yes” I would be very surprised, for the simple reason that there are few formalized occasions for the public to appreciate water. This year, a multitude of civic and non-profit organizations have teamed up to give individuals the opportunity to celebrate their “love for water” in the annual Rachel Carson Sense of Wonder Contest.

2012 marks the 40^th Anniversary of the Clean Water Act. Although it was originally enacted in 1948, the Act was significantly reorganized and expanded in 1972 to regulate discharges of water pollutants and monitoring water quality standards in the United States. The Annual Rachel Carson Sense of Wonder Contest is honoring this anniversary and renaming itself the “Sense of Water Contest” for 2012.

Eight partnerships in the Kansas City Metro Area were each awarded a "JumpStart the Conversation" grant on March 11, 2008. 

The winning projects exemplify the use of innovative ideas focused on creating livable communities for all ages and the theme of "housing for older adults." With the Kansas City metropolitan area approaching the two million population mark, these strategies help strengthen "aging in place" services and work to forge new partnerships and broaden the housing options between home and health-care facilities. Click here to view the grants below. 

The grants were provided in conjunction with a Kansas City workshop, titled Housing's Role in the Kansas City Metro Area: Developing a Livable Community for All Ages. The workshop was the fourth of six regional workshops around the country focused on creating livable communities for all ages. The workshops and grants are part of the 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 took place at the Kauffman Foundation Conference Center on February 4, 2008, and was hosted by the Johnson County Area Agency on Aging, the Mid-America Regional Council, the Shepherd's Center Kansas City Central, and the Wyandotte/Leavenworth Area Agency on Aging.
    
As a result of the workshop and grant opportunities, Kansas City officials believe that the metro area will have a renewed sense of urgency to approach community livability for all. In a city approaching the two-million population mark, with more than 11 percent of the population 65 years old and over, local organizations and individuals are energized to face the challenges that accompany this time of change. 

Kansas City Jumpstart Grants: 

• Center for Practical Bioethics: to fund discounted enrollment for up to ten partners in the "Community of Practice" (COP) COP will be used to clarify issues, identify resources and models, and educate the growing list of partners.The Center for Practical Bioethics will provide facilitation through the COP model that will follow the conclusion of the three-week Aging-Friendly Communities online conference and provide ongoing support for the next six months to sustain interest, encourage participation and educate the partners and participating organizations in myriad efforts and opportunities for leadership. COP will help train participants by accessing and sharing experts from around the country, providing collaboration on successful models at work, and assisting the Center in developing common language and concepts. Archival access to presentations is a key element of this ongoing education. 
• HomeSharing and Metropolitan Community College Foundation: to create the brochure called "Aging in Place Metropolitan Kansas City Resource Guide." Organizations and resources that share the mission of helping seniors to age in place will be the partners in developing this brochure. Their contact information will be compiled, and the brochure will be updated every six months to ensure accurate information and contacts. Participating organizations will meet to develop the scope of this document. A first printing of 1,000 brochures will be delivered to all offices and organizations that agree to have it publicly available to interested persons. 
• InnerLight Ministries, Inc.: to initiate a quarterly event called the "Senior Citizen Community Information Fair." At this event, older adults can identify and locate the service(s) they need. This event will gather organizations from a vast number of services that are already available but are unknown to older adults. Emphasis is placed on services pertaining to housing options, home maintenance, finance, health care, elder care planning, transportation needs, and other support services. This service will unite the older adult community and will be of assistance to a wider range of people outside the aged community, who will eventually be in the same age group as those whom these events are targeting.
• Jewish Family Services: to develop and implement a "Good Neighbors" program for adults age 65 and older. The program is designed to bring the elements of a retirement community to the community at large. Members of the Good Neighbors program can request minor home repairs; chore services; information and referral; transportation; safety/home modifications; and health assessments. The program meets the needs of older adults who desire to remain in their own homes rather than moving to a seniors-only community. This model is a fusion of several innovative programs around the world, including the Beacon Hill Village model in Boston, MA; the Supportive Community model developed by the Association for the Planning and Development of Services for the Aged in Israel; the St. Louis NORC; and the S.A.I.L. program in Madison, Wisconsin. 
• Metropolitan Community College Longview in partnership with the Metropolitan Community College Foundation and KC MASS Services: to host a seminar on housing needs and options for older adults and inform the 50-plus population of specific, innovative housing options to enable them to "age in place." The seminar will provide an opportunity to educate professionals from the building contractor and real estate industries, and it will garner their support and active participation in this initiative. Follow-up classes and seminars will provide additional information on specific aspects of "aging in place."  MCC-Longview will offer supplementary educational and enrichment classes and workshops to enhance an independent lifestyle. With the combined resources of the Metropolitan Community College district, MCC-Longview is positioned to provide educational and support services and elicit established and prospective partnerships in the business and social sectors.
• Metro Lutheran Ministry in partnership with Ivanhoe Neighborhood Association and the City of Kansas City: to create a partnership between one of the largest neighborhood associations in Kansas City with a high number of older adults, the Ivanhoe Neighborhood Association, and the City of Kansas City, Missouri, to assist older adults with monitoring and minor home repair work necessary for overall community safety. Through the partnership a quality care system will be developed which will identify and refer older adults who need monitoring of their health and well-being. Participants will be monitored on an ongoing basis and will receive the necessary advocacy to ensure their safety. Older adults will also be referred and will receive necessary repair work on their homes.
• Thomas J. Brown, Jr. Foundation, Inc.: to provide the groundwork to recruit competent and skilled professionals with experience in minor interior and exterior home repair and lawn maintenance that will have a direct and positive impact on older adults. By developing a network of resources, tailored to the needs of seniors, and utilizing funding from local businesses, housing and government agencies, and senior assistance programs, the TJB Foundation will extend its services to a minimum of fifty octogenarians by the end of 2010. With the expansion of the Foundations resources, a wider range services can be extended to Kansas City area residents. Many octogenarians are faced with health, financial, and accessibility issues; it is the goal of the Foundation to provide a portion of relief from the everyday responsibilities of maintaining their residences to a level of dignity that can only enhance their quality of life. The Foundation has recruited companies in the following areas to provide services: HVAC, lawn service, electric, plumbing, roofing, gutter service, carpentry, and painting.
• University of Kansas Medical Center Research Institute, Inc. in partnerships with the University of Kansas Medical Center - Occupational Therapy Education, Physical Therapy Education, and Teaching and Learning Technology departments: to develop a collaborative educational tool for students to begin exploring ways to modify a home environment for facilitating "aging in place." Students will explore a two-story home in a virtual environment, assess how the home meets the needs of an aging adult, and make recommendations for changes to the home.  Students will revisit the modified virtual home and determine if their recommended changes were successful choices for supporting older adults at home. This experience allows students to try different modifications, make errors, and determine alternative solutions. The result of this educational tool will be to better prepare students as future clinicians for assessing the home environment and assisting families with "aging in place" options.

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

Three partnerships in the Centralina region were each awarded a "JumpStart the Conversation" grant on August 25, 2008.

The winning projects exemplify the use of innovative ideas focused on creating livable communities for all ages and theme of "land use planning and design".  These strategies are aimed at the over 11 percent of residents age 65 and over in the Centralina region, and will encourage services that strengthen "aging in place"and increase accessibility to resources and independence among older adults. 

The Jumpstart the Conversation Grants followed a workshop in the Centralina Region, titled Land Use Planning and Design: Creating a Livable Community in the Centralina Region for All Ages. As part of the Aging in Place Initiative, the City of Charlotte, North Carolina, was selected by MetLife Foundation, Partners for Livable Communities and the National Association of Area Agencies on Aging to host the sixth of 12 national workshops on creating livable communities for all ages.

This workshop, co-hosted by the Centralina Council of Governments and Centralina Area Agency on Aging, was a unique opportunity for Centralina to begin looking at the region and to hear how other communities have begun to create livable communities. Participants learned how to apply for small grants given to support innovative ideas that further the concept of land use planning and design.Local leaders are calling for strategies to help strengthen "Aging in Place" services. Speakers and panelists focused on ways to address physical environment issues like housing and transportation

Centralina/Charlotte Jumpstart Grants 

• Centralina Foundation in partnership with the Centralina Council of Governments, the Town of Waxhaw Planning Department, and the Council on Aging in Union County 
  To develop a “Land Use Ordinance Best Practices Checklist” that would encourage communities to become more senior friendly.  Partnering with the Centralina Council of Governments, the Town of Waxhaw Planning Department, and the Council on Aging in Union county, the Centralina Foundation will create a Steering Committee comprised of members of each organization to assist in the development of the checklist and assessment of land use regulations in Waxhaw.  The checklist will serve as a framework to identify ordinances in need of change in order to develop an increasingly senior friendly community.
• Downtown Davidson, Inc. in partnership with the Town of Davidson 
  To offer weekly transportation services to seniors living in the town of Davidson, NC.  Using existing resources offered by the Department of Parks & Recreation, this initiative will provide seniors with the opportunity to run errands without worrying about driving or transportation arrangements.  Another goal of this project is to address the need of older adults to have more independence and freedom in planning their schedules.

• Council on Aging 
  To use Naturally Occurring Retirement Communities (NORCs) in Charlotte as case studies for the development of senior-friendly communities.  These studies will identify characteristics that support NORCs so that they may be disseminated for educational and advocacy programming.  The Council on Aging has already developed a task force to address housing and related issues as they pertain to the Charlotte’s aging population.  The long-term goal of this project is to develop a comprehensive housing plan for older adults through 203

Eight organizations and partnerships in Miami-Dade and Monroe Counties were each awarded a "JumpStart the Conversation" grant on February 2, 2009.

The winning projects exemplify the use of innovative ideas focused on creating livable communities for all ages and theme of "transportation and mobility options".  These strategies are aimed at the over 11 percent of residents age 65 and over in the two counties, and will encourage services that strengthen "aging in place" and increases accessibility to transportation and fosters independence among older adults.

The Grantees followed the Miami-Dade and Monroe Counties workshop on November 17, 2008; titled Increasing Transportation and Mobility Options: Creating Livable Miami-Dade & Monroe Counties for All Ages. 

Greater Miami Region Jumpstart Grants 

• The North County Citizens Association 
  To discuss a pickup service, with the purpose of allowing older citizens unable to drive or access transportation to conduct necessary tasks such as doctor’s appointments and trips to the grocery store.  The NCCA is a voluntary organization dedicated to improving the community.  Many of its members are senior citizens, and this program would be an avenue for the community to give back to them.
• Miami Lakes Town Foundation in partnership with The Alliance for Aging, Inc. 
  To hold a series of community meetings to evaluate the transportation needs of older adults in the Miami Lakes area.  The forums will be held once a month over a four month period and will encourage dialogue surrounding the issues of town public transportation, Miami-Dade county Public Transportation, as well as existing and planned trail systems.  The goal is to develop a strategy that will best coordinate accessibility to existing and planned programs, services and facilities to the aging population.
• The City of Coral Gables in partnership with The Alliance for Aging, Inc.  
  To implement a pilot program of subsidized taxicab fares for people ages 65 and over.  Seniors would be able to purchase coupons at Coral Gables City Hall and the Coral Gables Youth Center.  These facilities are both accessible and well known to residents of the city.  It is the hope that this program will demonstrate an efficient way for seniors to use existing transportation systems while still having the flexibility and independence associated with driving one’s own vehicle
• The Miami Behavioral Health Center (MBHC) 
  To promote a “Mobility Maps” program to seniors in the Miami-Dade area.  “Mobility Maps” will alert seniors to different transportation options based on their own specific transportation needs.  Each individual mobility map will provide descriptions of possible destinations as well as different methods of getting to each locale.  In addition to providing group sessions to create these maps, which can also serve to create social networks and improve psychosocial functioning, the MBHC will provide training to aging agencies and health service providers to maximize the number of seniors benefitting from this program.
• The William Lehman Injury Research Center
  To improve a multi-faceted safe crossings program in response to Miami being ranked the third highest county in regards to pedestrian injuries.  The research center plans on using education, promotional and cultural materials to address the issue specifically in regards to the over 65 population.  Current materials will also be translated in Spanish and Creole in order to increase the scope of the project across language barriers.
• The County of Monroe in partnership with The Alliance for Aging, Inc.  
  To investigate a solution to inefficient transportation (especially for older adults and pedestrians) between Monroe County and the Florida Keys.  Three planning sessions will be held to brainstorm ideas, including ways to make transportation more “green” and cost effective.
• The Miami Lighthouse for the Blind in partnership with The Alliance for Aging, Inc.  
  To explore and implement a community based independent transportation network (ITN) in Miami-Dade County.  Using a combination of both paid and volunteer drivers, the ITN will be available 24-hours a day to transport seniors to local destinations.  After a series of meetings, a pilot community will be chosen to serve as an example of increase senior mobility that can be implemented citywide.
• The Alliance for Aging, Inc. 
  To engage local and national experts on issues of senior transportation access in Miami-Dade, and to incorporate these issues into the county’s master transportation plan.  Three meetings will be hosted over a 6-month period and will focus on pedestrian needs and planning, and roadway improvement.  The meetings will serve as a follow-up to the Aging in Place workshop in November, with the goal of engaging traffic engineers and key stakeholders in issues related to aging and the public infrastructure, highlighting best practices in community transportation, and encouraging dialogue that will lead to positive changes.

Eight organizations and partnerships in the St. Louis Region were each awarded a "JumpStart the Conversation" grant in July 2009. Click here to view the jumpstart grants below. 

The winning projects exemplify the use of innovative ideas focused on creating livable communities for all ages and the theme of Universal Design and Accessibility. As part of the Aging in Place Initiative, the St. Louis Metro Region was selected by MetLife Foundation, Partners for Livable Communities and the National Association of Area Agencies on Aging to host one of a series of dynamic national workshops highlighting the opportunity to improve livability for persons of all ages. 

Held on April 28, 2009, Designing Places and Spaces for Now and in the Future: Creating a Livable St. Louis Region for All Ages gathered key innovators and representatives from across the Region to help identify strategies to improve homes that are universally designed and communities that are welcoming for all. Attendees learned how to JumpStart the Conversation on aging and apply for a special grant given to unique partnerships taking action on Aging in Place. The grants are intended to stimulate innovative action at the local level. As a result of the workshops and grant opportunities, communities will have a renewed sense of urgency on approaching community livability for all as well as an energized group of organizations and individuals collaborating to face the challenges that accompany this time of change.

As part of the national movement to promote the “Aging in Place” Initiative, which is aimed at helping older Americans remain in their communities, the St. Louis metropolitan region was selected to host one in a series of national workshops sponsored by MetLife Foundation, Partners for Livable Communities (Partners), and the National Association of Area Agencies on Aging (n4a). The workshop was co-hosted by the St. Louis Area Agency on Aging, Area Agency on Aging of Southwestern Illinois, and Mid-East Area Agency on Aging.

The local discussion complemented the dynamic national conversation taking place on aging and will highlight the creative work already occurring in the region to make it a first-rate place for all age groups. This workshop was a unique opportunity for local leaders to begin looking at the region and to hear how other communities have begun to create livable communities. 

Missouri is consistently ranked as one of the states in the country with the oldest population—it’s expected that 15 percent of all Missouri residents will be aged 65 and older by 2015. The number of persons 60 and older in Illinois is projected to increase by 77% from 2 million in 2006 to 3.6 million in 2030.  One in every five Illinoisans will be 60 years of age and older by 2030.In preparation for this, local leaders are calling for strategies to help strengthen “Aging in Place” services.

Workshop speakers and panelists focused on strategies for buildings that are universally designed and communities that are welcoming for all. Following the discussion, participants are invited to learn about a new Community Assessment Tool devised to measure the readiness of places and spaces. The conversation continued by through the following Jumpstart the Conversation Grants. 

St. Louis Jumpstart Grants

• Bi-Lingual International Assistant Services in partnership with Delta Medical and JAD Housing LLC
  To retrofit an apartment with grab bars and handrails to serve as a model for an awareness campaign aimed at encouraging landlords to make these same small changes to all their apartment units so they are accessible for those who are aging in place.  
• Mid-East Area Agency on Aging Foundation with the City of O’Fallon
  To conduct a comprehensive livable community assessment of the City of O’Fallon which will encourage awareness of the resources available, identify new resources that can meet the needs of older adults, and encourage community leadership to act on these issues. Local highs schools, community colleges, and universities will be involved in conducting the assessments and writing the final report thus becoming involved with the community needs and issues and interacting positively with older adults in the process.  
• Main Street Community Center with Faith in Action Edwardsville
  To create a resource guide for Edwardsville's older adults, their families and their caregivers, and to ensure its widespread distribution.
• Concern Citizen Group of Illinois with Lutheran Child and Family Services (for Fathers) of Illinois
  To strategize on intergenerational programs that suit community needs for the new Recreation Center currently being built. Strategizing sessions will include community forums and neighborhood meetings.
• Bond County Senior Citizens Center, Inc.
  To perform a community assessment that will 1) assess currently available assets available to serve the existing and future older adult populations; 2) determine the additional assets needed to meet their needs; 3) develop a plan to address unmet needs; 4) communicate findings and plans to leaders and decision makers; 5) launch a relevant and exciting initial project; and 6) serve in an advisory capacity to assist in the implementation and monitoring of future activity.   
• University of Missouri Extension Gerontology Program in partnership with South Grand Senior Ministries
  To provide an opportunity for a Gerontology social work practicum student to perform focused interview sessions with neighborhood residents, cost analyses, and execution of a project that will improve safety and accessibility features and help ensure successful aging-in-place for older residents. Principles from the Gerontology course, “Successful Aging in the Built Environment” will be explored and implemented.
• The Area Agency on Aging of Southwestern Illinois with the American Institute of Architects (St. Louis)
  To plan and execute a design charette for the community of New Baden, IL with the goal of producing a series of feasible strategies to address accessibility concerns identified by the community.
• The Starkloff Disability Institute
  To produce a white paper on universal design that 1) outlines key challenges of universal housing that must be addressed for it to proliferate; and 2) outlines a national campaign to promote universal housing features to industry leaders and consumers.

As part of the Aging in Place Initiative, the San Antonio Region was selected by MetLife Foundation, Partners for Livable Communities and the National Association of Area Agencies on Aging (n4a) to host one of a series of dynamic national workshops highlighting the opportunity to improve livability for persons of all ages. The Jumpstart the Conversation Grantees followed the workshop held on June 11, 2009; titled Redesigning Communities for Aging in Place: Developing a Livable San Antonio Metro Region for All Ages.

Redesigning Communities for Aging in Place gathered key innovators and representatives from across the region to discuss a topic of great importance to San Antonio. Workshop speakers and panelists focused on assets already in place and how they can be improved, particularly health and wellness, social integration, planning and mobility. Attendees learned how to JumpStart the Conversation on aging and apply for a special grant given to unique partnerships taking action on Aging in Place.

The local discussion at the workshop, and continued in the grants, complemented the dynamic national conversation taking place on aging and will highlight the creative work already occurring in the region to make it a first-rate place for all age groups. This workshop is a unique opportunity for local leaders to begin looking at the region and to hear how other communities have begun to create livable communities. The Alamo Area Council of Governments’ region is home to over 345,000 residents who are aged 60 and over. In 2020, this number is projected to increase to almost 500,000 residents.  The demographics of this group are also becoming increasingly diverse.

In preparation for this, local leaders are calling for strategies to help strengthen “Aging in Place” services. Workshop speakers and panelists focused on assets already in place and how they can be improved, particularly health and wellness, social integration, planning and mobility. "San Antonio has always been a caring community, and as our Baby Boomer population increases, that will become even more important," said Mayor Phil Hardberger. "We must continue to cultivate a senior-friendly environment - with improvements in infrastructure, for example - so our seniors can continue living full lives. They have much to contribute, and we have much to learn from them." 

The grants are intended to stimulate innovative action at the local level. As a result of the workshops and grant opportunities, communities in San Antonio will have a renewed sense of urgency on approaching community livability for all as well as an energized group of organizations and individuals collaborating to face the challenges that accompany this time of change.

 San Antonio Jumpstart Grants

• The Alamo Area Council of Governments in partnership with the Alamo and Bexar Area Agencies on Aging
  To bring Asset-Based Community Development training to stakeholders on the Aging issue in the San Antonio region. The training will enable the organizations and partner agencies to conduct targeted planning activities in local communities in the regions to assist in identifying the already existing assets that can be utilized to enhance the Aging in Place planning process for the area. 
• Education lnvestment Foundation (EIF), the San Antonio Housing Authority (SAHA) and MedTeam, Inc. 
  To develop a positive media outreach program to assist elderly and disabled citizens with information on housing opportunities, and needed services in San Antonio, Texas.
• Greater Randolph Area Services Program, Inc. (GRASP) in partnership with the City of Live Oak 
  To begin a program to help seniors who are unable to handle the normal maintenance and care of their homes, for either physical or financial reasons. This program will help seniors with small home maintenance, lawn care, and landscaping issues. The program will be called “Our Community Cares in Live Oak” and will recruit volunteers with experience in home repair and maintenance to carry out the jobs. 
• Jefferson Outreach
  To provide a special type of transportation service to seniors in their community that will even further improve their quality of life by recruiting young volunteers to provide transportation for “extra services” such as salons, banks, malls and other places which will enhance their lives and allow them to remain part of their community.
• Northeast Senior Assistance
  To create a return visit program by nurses to re-evaluate clients whose health or living condition may have changed over time. The return visit will be scheduled for clients during their five year anniversary and every five years thereafter. This additional initiative will help identify potential issues before they become problems impacting clients’ ability to remain in their own homes.
• San Antonio Time Dollar Community Connections
  To start a CareBank service for mainly Spanish speaking seniors on the Westside of San Antonio that will provide an affordable transportation system and a social network of people who can rely on each other. Members who join the Care Bank will have the opportunity to socialize with other seniors and members and utilize flexible, affordable, accessible transportation and replace social isolation with a social network providing a sense of community and extended family.

Two major programs and partnerships in the Chattanooga Region were each awarded a "JumpStart the Conversation" grant in September 2009. The winning projects exemplify the use of innovative ideas focused on creating livable communities for all ages and the theme of Building Partnerships. Click here to view the grants below. 

As part of the national movement to promote the “Aging in Place” Initiative, which is aimed at helping older Americans remain in their communities, the Chattanooga Metro Area has been selected to host one in a series of national workshops to consider creating livable communities for all ages.  These workshops are being sponsored by MetLife Foundation, Partners for Livable Communities (Partners), and the National Association of Area Agencies on Aging (n4a).

The Chattanooga workshop, titled Building Partnerships: Creating a Livable Community for All Ages (Choose Chattanooga: Come Live with Us),  was held on 30, 2009.  The event was be co-hosted by the Southeast Tennessee Area Agency on Aging and Disability, Choose Chattanooga, the City of Chattanooga, Hamilton County, Morning Pointe, the Greater Chattanooga Chamber of Commerce, and the Tennessee Multicultural Chamber of Commerce.

Steve Witt, Director of the Southeast Tennessee Area Agency on Aging and Disability, stated that “Community leaders have already seen enormous goals met that contribute to Chattanooga being a place that appeals to people of all ages.  It is exciting to be part of an initiative that can help us continue to move forward.”

Chattanooga Jumpstart Grants 

• Friends of Outdoor Chattanooga and Active Living and Transportation Network
  To explore new partnerships within the senior community and be able to expand programming to better reach the older adult demographic and promote active transportation through bicycling. Two workshops will be held for active seniors and related agencies to develop opportunities to promote the safe use of bicycling for transportation and recreation, especially in the urban core area. 
• Get Online Event: A community-wide, multi-generational interactive opportunity
  The following organizations will be working together for the first time ever through a brand new partnership formed to improve community-wide communication and civic involvement by teaching basic, practical computer skills at the “Get OnLine” Event. This “learning event” will be a community-wide, multi-generational interactive opportunity. Continued partner efforts will help members adapt to what older adult learners want and need to know to thrive in a livable community, as well as how to engage additional partners to further collaborative efforts.
• "Choose Chattanooga" and The Chattanooga Health and Performance Institute
  To coordinate marketing, promotion and continued collaboration among partners for the “Get OnLine” event which will improve communication between service providers and the citizens they serve, with a special emphasis on the older adult citizens.
• Friends of the Library
  To host several computer technology training events at area branches using existing computers with internet access and to educate technically illiterate and disenfranchised older adult members of the community. 
• Senior Neighbors
  To host several computer technology training events at area senior centers using existing computers with internet access.  Senior Neighbors is the area’s largest outreach organization reaching senior citizens in often underserved locations across Hamilton County. Recently added new computers and internet access, but instruction resources are limited and services are underutilized. Through partnership support — Senior Neighbors’ will reach a larger portion of the older demographic. 
• Alton Park Development Corporation
  To host older adult computer classes at Alton Park area community centers, one of Chattanooga’s most economically distressed and impoverished areas.  
• Southeast Development Foundation 
  To coordinate and establish a mature workers job club and provide technology and computer training to members of that community as more people in this age group struggle to gain the latest job skills to find second careers in their later years. 
• City of Chattanooga Department of Education, Arts & Culture
  To provide computer training to senior citizens through workshops, instruction and access to computers and internet at the Senior Activity Center, located at Eastgate Town Center. Due to underfunding there is currently a waiting list of more than 300 Senior Citizens waiting to learn basic computer skills. They are currently not being served at all because there are no instructors to meet the demand. Grant monies will fund instruction otherwise unavailable.
• City of Chattanooga Department of Parks and Recreation
  To provide computer training to disenfranchised citizens through workshops, instruction and access to computers and internet at the Brainerd Recreation Center. Computers and internet access was recently installed at the rec centers—however these new services are not utilized because of a lack of education and available training. This event will allow them to reach the older adult population served by this rec-center.
• Chattanooga State Technical Community College
  To host classes at its campus and provide school trained instructors and educational materials. Classes will be available to older adult members of the public who would otherwise be unable to afford such instruction.
• Association of Visual Arts
  To serve as a centrally located learning facility and resource center for digital content development and creative self expression and to offer technology and photography training classes at the Chattanooga media center to older adults who would be otherwise unable to afford such instruction. AVA will target lifelong learners who seek customized training instruction for their careers or personal development.  

Fourteen organizations and partnerships in the Wichita Region were each awarded a "JumpStart the Conversation" grant in August 2009. The winning projects exemplify the use of innovative ideas focused on creating livable communities for all ages and the theme of "Revitalizing Communities for All Generations."

As part of the Aging in Place Initiative, the Wichita Region was selected by MetLife Foundation, Partners for Livable Communities and the National Association of Area Agencies on Aging to host one of a series of dynamic national workshops highlighting the opportunity to improve livability for persons of all ages. The workshop, titled Revitalizing Communities for All Generations:  Visioning a Livable Wichita Region, was held on June 23, 2009.  

Revitalizing Communities for All Generations gathered key innovators and representatives from across the region to discuss a topic of great importance to Wichita. Workshop speakers and panelists focused their discussion on key areas for Community Housing, Intergenerational Opportunities, and Neighborhood Planning. In particular, participants considered elements that contribute to the Wichita Visioneering process. 

Wichita Jumpstart Grants 

• Visioneering Older Adult Alliance and the Central Plains Area Agency on Aging
  To develop and implement a south central Kansas media initiative which will include:  an informational sheet on important statistics related to older adults and livable communities that can be used to educate, a half-hour infomercial on livable communities that can be shown on area government channels and production of timely articles on livable communities that can be inserted into newsletters, regional newsletters or posted on partner websites.
• Via Christi Senior Services in partnership with Visioneering Older Adult Alliance and the Central Plains Area Agency on Aging
  To formulate an innovative series of four, focused informational programs designed to raise awareness and start discussions that will help all “age in place” in Wichita. 
• Senior Services, Inc. and the Central Plains Area Agency on Aging
  To produce a research paper of best practices for intergenerational programming at senior centers. The paper will include working models and evidence based programs from across the country on how to facilitate community collaboration, promote an appreciation for heritage, traditions and history, apply the strength of one generation to meet the needs of another, and increase community awareness about issues that affect both populations. The findings of the paper will be presented at a statewide senior center conference.
• Visioneering Older Adult Alliance and the Central Plains Area Agency on Aging
  To recruit and train people 55 years and better in advocacy skills.  Trained advocates will be able to more effectively communicate to elected officials, planners and board members about issues that are important to livable communities and aging in place.
• Paratransit Council, Inc. in partnership with 17 other members
  To establish a program that will expand awareness of transportation resources and promote the use of those resources in the tri-county areas of Harvey, Butler, and Sedgwick, Kansas.  An informational pamphlet will be produced as part of this outreach campaign.
• Visioneering Older Adult Alliance and the Central Plains Area Agency on Aging
  To continue the conversation about Aging in Place and Livable Communities by highlighting current efforts that are meeting with success in cities in the metropolitan statistical area. A half day, best practices symposium will feature presenters with innovative housing options, successful walkability efforts, award winning intergenerational programs and issues related to community development, i.e. downtown revitalization, parks, recreation and open spaces.
• Historic Midtown Citizen’s Association (HMCA), USD 259 and the Central Plains Area Agency on Aging
  To introduce seniors to volunteer opportunities at area schools and the school children to the rich opportunities that knowing older adults can provide.
• Wichita Independent Neighborhoods, Inc. in partnership with Visioneering Older Adult Alliance and the Central Plains Area Agency on Aging
  To develop a transportation plan for seniors that would utilize existing transportation providers, provide activity calendars, and develop a membership program to bring the program to completion.
• Senior Services, Inc. in partnership with the Wichita City Council and Active Aging Publishing, Inc.
  To provide education and forums for seniors to gain valuable knowledge and dialogue about what their needs are for a livable community. Through a series of forums and community planning sessions, seniors will be given the opportunity to express their needs for transportation in the community. As a follow-up to the meetings, a simple transportation brochure will be distributed to organizations that provide services to seniors written in English, Spanish, and possibly Vietnamese.
• Visioneering Older Adult Alliance and the Central Plains Area Agency on Aging
  To plan, plant and harvest a new community garden at the Southeast Senior Center near the Planeview Area – a low-income neighborhood in the City of Wichita. Funding will be used to develop a tool kit to get the garden started, purchase planting materials and supplies, soil tests, garden tools and to educate the community on the benefits of gardening.
• Wichita Homebound Outreach (WHO) in partnership with Visioneering Older Adult Alliance and the Central Plains Area Agency on Aging
  To recruit additional volunteers and create an intergenerational component for a local outreach organization that creates building relationships and socialization activities between neighbors in low-income congregate housing facilities. Educational materials would be created to distribute to churches and organizations in order to recruit volunteers. 
• Park City Pride Committee, Inc.
  To design and distribute a community survey to help establish criteria on future community oriented goals and public buildings.
• Asbury Park, Inc.
  To conduct focus groups with individuals aged 55-70 on what type of housing they want through the next years of their lives and educate them on universal design concepts.
• Visioneering Older Adult Alliance and the Central Plains Area Agency on Aging
  To conceive and produce a 30 minute DVD to inform viewers of the concepts of Livable Communities for All Ages and Universal Design that can be aired on city television stations and utilized by citizen groups, and staff members in trainings, presentations and discussions.