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THE HORIZON FOUNDATION APPROACH
Extended dialogue and contacts with the Howard County Office of Aging, as well as with other community practitioners and leaders, revealed that the county lacked several types of important resources that could promote aging in place. Among these were a sufficient supply of low-cost in-home care, a coordinated program of home repair and modification, a strategy to reduce the incidence of falls and a mental health outreach program designed specifically for older adults. It also become clear that the Office of Aging has limitations in its data resources and lacks benchmark information against which to monitor community progress in promoting aging in place.
This is the background against which the Horizon Foundation worked with the county and with some private, non-profit agencies to create a multi-faceted initiative with the following goals:
- To provide older adults with easy access to services they need to remain healthy and vibrant in their own homes for as long as possible;
- To improve the health and wellness of older adults living at home;
- To provide clients with multiple access points for services, in order to maintain maximum flexibility;
- To develop five project components that are integrated into a seamless service delivery model that is supported by appropriate planning and evaluation.