For the past several years, Chaffee County Public Health (CCPH) has been working with numerous community partners to develop an initiative prioritizing the health and wellness needs of Chaffee’s older residents. Now, CCPH will be launching Age Strong Chaffee, a program funded by a recently awarded grant from the NextFifty Initiative.
“Launching a new program solely focused on the health and wellness needs of our aging demographic has been in the works for quite some time, and I am elated that this, Age Strong Chaffee, is finally coming to fruition,” said CCPH Director Andrea Carlstrom. “Our goal is to make sure that older adults in our county have what they need to thrive, including greater social connections, the ability to live in the environment that they choose, healthy eating and active living activities, and access to healthcare and public health programming.”
CCPH has received funding from the NextFifty Initiative for the past three grant cycles, supporting the planning initiative and coalition completing a health and wellness needs assessment of older adults in the county. The funding also supported hiring an Aging Well Coordinator at CCPH and building on past efforts to create a formal program for older adults. CCPH will also be hiring a navigator to support older residents in getting access to health and wellness services and supports in the county and region that best meet their specific needs.
Long-awaited hugs from our grandchildren appear once again to be possible for fully-vaccinated grandparents. Photo by Ekaterina Shakharova for Unsplash.
“Due to the passion and commitment of the many community partners on our coalition, a dream is becoming a reality,” Carlstrom says. “Expect to see new and exciting opportunities for older adults in 2022.”
If you are interested in joining the Age Strong Chaffee coalition or would like to learn more about how you can get involved, please contact Molly Bischoff, CCPH Aging Well Coordinator, at 970-309-9145 or mbischoff@chaffeecounty.org.
NextFifty Initiative is a private Colorado-based foundation that funds efforts to improve the lives of older adults and their caregivers.
NextFifty works with community leaders, experts in the field of aging, and front-line professionals to support programs and projects surrounding aging and longevity, focusing on educating communities, sharing best practices, and supporting innovations that impact aging.
NextFifty Initiative awarded grants totaling $9 million in 2020. To learn more, visit www.Next50Initiative.org.
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