Implementation

"Aging in place promotes the quality of life for senior adults, but it also strengthens the quality of life for our families and our communities. When older relatives or neighbors can continue to live safely and successfully in our midst, the community is enriched and the bonds of nurturing, support and friendship are strengthened." Susan Fryer Ward, Secretary Maryland Department of Aging

A Steering Committee of representatives from all of the components provides ongoing oversight and coordination for the Aging-In-Place Initiative. The committee is responsible for providing joint training for the agencies involved, determining the best way to track and monitor the project and the progress of clients being served, developing community awareness and outreach, and making necessary revisions to increase the Initiative's effectiveness.

Because so many older adults have multiple needs, a key element in the success of the Initiative is the coordination of intake and referrals through the County Office on Aging. Thus a client who comes to the attention of one component - for example, home repair - may also be referred to Family and Children's Services for in-home assistance, or any of the other participating agencies. The Office of Aging is responsible for ensuring that information about the Initiative's clients is entered into a county tracking system used by the various agencies that serve older adults.

The project has thus far provided direct services to more than 250 clients and indirect services to more than 600 adults.

NEXT STEPS

Keeping in mind the demographic projections that underlie the future needs of the aging population in Howard County, The Horizon Foundation is continuing to work with the county to build an effective system of services to enable older residents to remain in their homes as they age. With this goal in mind, we have undertaken the following additional initiatives:

• The Elkridge Aging Alliance
  Working with a Community Council organized by the Foundation, we are applying what we have learned from the initial phase of the Aging-In-Place initiative to address the needs of elders in Elkridge, a close-knit community of about 2,000 persons. Based at the Elkridge Senior Center, the project will develop a database on community needs and work to mobilize schools, churches and other community resources to provide necessary services. As a result of one study already completed, we learned that due to lack of transportation, many people have to walk along the highway to local health services. As a result, we have worked with the Urban Rural Transportation Alliance to purchase a van that will provide on-call transportation for health care appointments to anyone on a sliding fee basis.

• Johns Hopkins University/University of Maryland Aging In Place Technology Project
  The Foundation has provided a planning grant to departments of public health and gerontology at these two institutions to determine whether an electronic network communications system can enhance coordination of care for homebound older persons. The project will examine how medical and social services agencies communicate now, and how technology - including telemedicine - might be used to improve the system of care. As part of this project, the researchers will address issues such as how to maintain patient confidentiality and acceptability of this type of system to clients and their families.

• Interuniversity Aging In Place Workgroup
  Efforts to meet the needs of the county's growing older population will not succeed unless they are based on high-quality population projections and needs assessments. This project, being conducted by the Department of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine at the University of Maryland, will provide the Foundation with an analysis of the composition of the county's future population and provide information that can be used by the county to make decisions on issues such as where to locate new services and how to modify or add to existing services.
  
  
• University of Maryland/Horizon Foundation Planning Workgroup
  To assist the Foundation in its efforts to further develop Aging-In-Place resources in Howard County, we have created an advisory panel made up of researchers and practitioners in geriatrics from two major universities in the area, Johns Hopkins and the University of Maryland, to work with us and with appropriate local officials.