Congratulations to the Shenandoah Area Agency on Aging!

The Shenandoah Area Agency on Aging in Front Royal, VA was honored at the National Association of Area Agencies on Aging (n4a) conference for their "At Home" program, that provides chronic disease management and support to rural homebound seniors.

The National Association of Area Agencies on Aging (n4a) announced the recipients of the 2009 n4a Aging Innovations and Achievement Awards at its annual conference in Minneapolis, MN. This awards program recognizes n4a members and showcases innovative and successful aging services programs that assist older adults and caregivers in communities across the country. The need for successful cost–effective aging services programs is especially important in light of our rapidly growing aging population.

Fifty-three programs received Aging Achievement Awards, of which 16 were honored with Aging Innovations Awards. In addition, the four programs that scored the highest in the review process received monetary awards. Jeffrey Prough, President and CEO of Critical Signal Technologies (CST), sponsor of the awards program, announced the following monetary awards: $2,500 to Tarrant County Area Agencies on Aging (Ft. Worth, TX) for Diabetes Identification and Management Program, a partnership with the local Meals on Wheels program that enables diabetic seniors to receive monthly diabetic education in their homes; $1,500 to Region IV Area Agency on Aging (St. Joseph, MI) for Custom Care—Care Connections of Southwest Michigan, a private pay options to help AAAs respond to customers who are able to pay for customized attention to their needs; $1,500 to the Oklahoma Association of Area Agencies on Aging (Shawnee, OK) for O4A Masonic Assistance Program for Seniors, a program that leverages local resources to fund direct assistance that help older adults maintain their independence; and $1,000 to the Central Plains Area Agency on Aging (Wichita, KS) for Client Assessment Program for Seniors (CAPS), a program that offers free professional in-home mental health assessment and counseling.

“As a company that believes in innovations, CST is thrilled to be involved with the Aging Innovations and Achievement Awards program because we know that the solutions to the aging services needs and challenges all lie in the innovation initiatives at the local level,” Prough said.

The Aging Innovations Awards recognize ground-breaking programs that are innovative and bring fresh ideas to aging programs. The honored programs serve as models for other agencies looking for new approaches to serve the older population within their own communities.

“Area Agencies on Aging (AAAs) and Title VI Native American aging programs are the trusted resources for assistance to older adults and caregivers in their communities. These organizations are the lifeline that provide critical resources that help older adults remain in their homes and stay active and contributing members of their communities as long as possible,” stated Sandy Markwood, n4a CEO.

Sixteen Aging Innovations Awards, the highest honor, were presented to the following:

Shenandoah Area Agency on Aging/Front Royal, VA for At Home – (a program that provide chronic disease management and support to rural homebound seniors)

Alliance for Aging, Inc./Miami, FL for Team Miami: A Community Partnership for Evidence-Based Solutions to Improving Elders’ Health – (a collaborative initiative that addresses the issues of elder Hispanic health disparities)

Central Plains Area Agency on Aging/Wichita, KS for Client Assessment Program for Seniors (CAPS) – (a program that offers free professional in-home mental health assessment and counseling to eligible participants)

Tarrant County Area Agency on Aging/Ft. Worth, TX for Diabetes Identification and Management Program – (a partnership with the local Meals on Wheels program that enables diabetic seniors to receive monthly diabetic education in their homes)

Region IV Area Agency on Aging/St. Joseph, MI for Costume Care—Care Connections of Southwest Michigan – (a private pay option to help AAAs respond to customers who are able to pay for customized attention to their needs)

Elder Services of the Merrimack Valley/Lawrence, MA for Enhanced Supportive Homemaker Program – (a program that increases the capability of homemakers to work with elders who have difficult behaviors)

REAL Services, Inc./Area 2 Agency on Agency/South Bend, IN for Options Counseling and Pre-Screening – (a program that offer long-term care information and education about options to nursing home care)

Aging & Disability Resource Center of Broward County/Sunrise, FL for Senior Intervention and Education Program (SIEP) – (an outreach initiative that evaluates the independent living environment of homebound and isolated seniors)

Southern Maine Agency on Aging/Scarborough, ME for Community Links – (this program offers assistance to older adults being discharged back into the community with unmet physical and social needs)

Area Agency on Aging of Palm Beach/Treasure Coast, Inc./West Palm Beach, FL for Jupiter HeadStart Godparent Program – (volunteer godparents provide resources and assistance to children from low-income families)

InterTribal Council of Arizona, Inc.—Area Agency on Aging/Phoenix, AZ for ITCA-AAA Public Benefits Outreach Project – (a program that educates and counsels tribal elders and individuals with disabilities about Medicare and public benefits)

Generations, Area 13 Agency on Aging/Vincennes, IN for Long Term Care Team – (Case managers work to insure resources and referrals for older discharged patients)

Area Office on Aging of Northwestern Ohio/Toledo, OH for Expedited Meal Delivery for Our Seniors – (program utilizes UPS expertise to delivery nutrition meals to homebound seniors)

Bergen County Division of Senior Services/Hackensack, NJ for Outreach Volunteer Associates Program – (this program advocates for Asian-American seniors and helps them learn about and access available resources)

Metropolitan Area Agency on Aging/St. Paul, MN for Dementia Care Project – (a systems change initiative to increase the detection, diagnosis and care management of dementia)

Oklahoma Association of Area Agencies on Aging/Shawnee, OK for O4A Masonic Assistance Programs for Seniors – (a program that leverages local resources to fund direct assistance that help older adults maintain their independence)

In addition, the 2009 Aging Achievement Awards were given to 37 programs in 14 categories that included caregiving, community planning, ethnic and cultural diversity, elder abuse, healthy aging, intergenerational programs, nutrition, technology, transportation and volunteerism/civic engagement.

The National Association of Area Agencies on Aging (n4a) is the umbrella organization for 629 Area Agencies on Aging (AAAs) and a voice for the 246 Title VI Native American aging programs in the U.S. The fundamental mission of the AAAs and Title VI aging programs is to provide services that make it possible for older individuals to remain in their homes, thereby preserving their independence and dignity. These agencies coordinate and support a wide range of home and community-based services, including information and referral, home-delivered and congregate meals, transportation, employment services, senior centers, adult day care and a long-term care ombudsman program. (www.n4a.org).

Taken from RAC News and Events