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NewsState Chamber Initiates Aging Workforce Study June 10, 2009 WORKFORCE WISE is the title of a new statewide research, education and advocacy initiative of the Indiana State Chamber of Commerce Foundation. With support from Lilly Endowment, Inc., the chamber has assembled a statewide advisory committee and is commissioning white paper reports around several important aging workforce issues, to culminate in a major awareness and education campaign at the close of the year. More to come. Among data sets being employed for the project is the AdvantAge Initiative 2008 statewide survey of 5,000 older Hoosiers, conducted by the Center on Aging and Community at the Indiana Institute on Disability and Community. The complete report can be downloaded at this location: here. Kansas City Region Addressing the Demographic Imperative. May 22, 2009 Stafford to Keynote Workshop on Elder Friendly Communities January 12, 2009 Phil Stafford, Director of the Institute’s Center on Aging and Community, will provide the keynote speech at a one-day workshop entitled Elder Friendly Communities: A Northwest Indiana Planning Project, on Friday, January 16, 2009 at the Radisson Star Plaza Hotel, Merrillville, Indiana. During the years 2010 to 2015, Indiana’s senior population will grow by 108,000 people. Communities must begin to plan for this population shift. The vast majority of seniors would prefer to remain in their homes and communities. Older Hoosiers contribute an incredible amount to the life of their communities. Given their many contributions, what strategies can be implemented to make these outcomes a reality? Outcomes of the AdvantAge Initiative Survey, conducted in 2008, will be presented. AdvantAge is a national planning project that supports community planning for aging in 26 U.S. communities. Anyone with a stake in building strong communities that will enhance the quality of life for seniors, including direct service providers, state and local elected officials, community organizers, city planning officials, health care professionals, veterans service organizations, and interested others are encouraged to attend. This workshop is offered at no charge. For more information, contact Northwest Indiana Community Action at (219) 794-1829 or e-mail efcevent@nwi-ca.org. Dillsboro, Indiana October 16, 2008 Citizens in this eastern burg of Indiana will be meeting to hear the results of the AdvantAge Initiative survey of citizens 60+ in the counties of Dearborn, Jefferson, Ohio, Ripley and Switzerland – among Indiana’s more rural communities served by the Area 12 Agency on Aging – Lifetime Resources, Inc. A presentation of survey data by Phil Stafford will be followed by community discussion of implications and some thoughts about how to make Area 12 more elder-friendly. The report can be found here: Huntington, Indiana October 8, 2008 Once again, citizens in the Huntington, Indiana area are gathering to peer into the future of aging in the Northeast Indiana region. Recently, folks in downtown Huntington took a close-up view of neighborhood issues. Today, a broader group will look at the area reports from the AdvantAge Initiative survey and discuss the implications for the region – specifically the four southern counties served by Aging and In-Home Services of Northeast Indiana. Today’s program, held at Huntington College, provides area citizens with a snapshot of how people 60+ are doing. The reports can be found here: No Headline September 19, 2008 Residents and advisors of the Gary-Midtown NNORC (neighborhood naturally occurring retirement community), part of the Communities for Life initiative, met to view their survey data and begin planning action steps for the neighborhood. Minietta Nelson is a savvy organizer (a community organizer!) with in depth knowledge of the community and its politics. With support from the Gary Community Health Foundation, Inc., she is spearheading the local project. Communities for Life is an initiative of the Indiana Division of Aging, coordinated by the U. of Indy Center for Aging and Community. These sites are also using the AdvantAge Initiative survey tool and process. The local data can be found here: GaryMidtownNNORC_Indiana_Charts.pdf No Headline September 18, 2008 With the leadership of Bill Fetrow and the assistance of Carol Ellinger from the agency on aging, citizens of Huntington, Indiana, are taking a look at their neighborhood survey data and focusing efforts around four key areas derived from the AARP Livable Communities framework. These include transportation, housing, the caring community, and health services. In their planning workshop today, participants became aware of the above average degree of need in the area of home modification, including bathroom modifications. This data will be used to plan future interventions to create more livable environments for elders in Huntington. Pertinent data can be found here: HuntingtonNNORC_Indiana_Charts.pdf No Headline September 12, 2008 Way down south in Evansville, things are looking good. The AdvantAge Initiative survey provided some pleasant surprises, demonstrating higher than average rates of screening and vaccinations and pretty good evaluations of neighborhood quality of life. The folks at the area agency on aging (SWIRCA), with the leadership of John Graves and Jean Tillery, are jumping on the energy and enthusiasm that emerged from the successful Mid-American Institute on Aging in August. The Institute attracted 250 participants to learn about livable communities and get some inspiration from Sandy Markwood, Director of the National Association of Area Agencies on Aging. Future planning will make use of survey data revealed today by Phil Stafford in a presentation at the Greater St. James Recreation and Education Center in downtown Evansville, a wonderful center funded by Evansville’s own famous B-Ball player and IU grad Calbert Cheaney. It was a pleasure to also meet the church’s Pastor Smith, 89 years old, who continues to complete 50 push-ups a day, along with a two mile walk. The good survey results around physical exercise suggest that Pastor Smith is a good role model for many! AdvantAge Survey data for Area 16 can be found here: No Headline September 11, 2008 One of the two small town NNORCs, Linton, Indiana has been way ahead of the game in planning aging futures. Over two years ago Mayor Tom Jones convened a steering committee to move forward with planning in this vital little community. Today, citizens and advisors from Communities for Life met to chew on the AdvantAge Survey data and select focus areas for action. It was wonderful to see a community “ramp” program begin to jell before my very eyes. Linton NNORC data is found here Elletsville August 25, 2008 Area 10 is the smallest of Indiana's 16 planning and service areas served by the area agencies on aging. Small but mighty, however, might be the apt phrase to describe the gathering steam being generated by the Area 10 Agency on Aging and the new Active Aging Coalition. The Coalition has been meeting for several months to study, discuss, explore and dream about ways to make Monroe and Owen counties more elder-friendly; not just for current elders but for the future ones too! On Thursday, August 27, the Coalition and Area 10 are co-sponsoring a presentation and workshop by Phil Stafford of the Center on Aging and Community at Indiana University, himself a long time resident of the area. Results of the recent AdvantAge survey will be released and breakout groups will begin digging into the data to explore their ramifications for the community and move towards goal setting for the future. Area 10 survey results can be found here: IndyDemographicTableArea10.pdf West Central Indiana August 25, 2008 Area 7 Agency on Aging represents west central Indiana, and is a division of WCIEDD, the West Central Indiana Economic Development District. One of only a handful of area agencies developing through the original "community action programs", Area 7 has for years advocated for and served economically disadvantaged elders in eastern Indiana. Recently, Area 7 received results from the comprehensive AdvantAge Initiative survey and will be turning these results into goals and action plans to make eastern Indiana more elder-friendly -- for all elders, including future ones! Representatives of Area 7 attended the data workshop in Carmel, Indiana, on August 26, joining with other AAA's to turn data into information and action. Area 7 survey results can be found at: Richmond and Muncie August 25, 2008 Eastern Indiana benefits from the long time leadership and innovative practices of two Area Agencies on Aging: Area 9 In Home and Community Services, based in Richmond, and LifeStream Services, based in Muncie. Area 9 and LifeStream representatives will be convening in Carmel, Indiana on August 26 to receive results from the AdvantAge Initiative survey conducted for each area. The agencies have been hard at work for two years to develop partnerships with key organizations that have a stake in the aging of the local populations -- service providers, public and private funders, municipal officials, higher education, and others. Armed with valuable survey data and enriched by local participation efforts such as focus groups and workshops, Area 9 and LifeStream will forge ahead to provide leadership in developing new solutions to current and future challenges around the changing demographics of aging. Area 9 survey reports can be found at: LifeStream area survey reports can be found at: Indianapolis - Martindale/Brightwood August 25, 2008 With funding and support from the Indiana Division of Family and Social Services Administration, Division of Aging and the University of Indianapolis Center for Aging and Community, the residents of the Martindale/Brightwood neighborhoods of Indianapolis are organizing themselves to create a better place to grow old. This grass roots effort benefits from the talented contributions of faculty and staff of Martin University, http://www.martin.edu/, an incredible institution founded by Rev. Fr. Boniface Hardin in 1977. On August 27, neighborhood residents organized to hear about the survey results and discuss specific goals for moving forward to create an elder-friendly neighborhood. M/B is one of the "naturally occurring retirement communities" selected in an innovative pilot to address aging issues for and with older Hoosiers at its most basic level -- the neighborhood. M/B survey results can be found at: MartindaleBrightwoodNNORC_Indiana_CHARTS.pdf MartindaleBrightwoodNNORC DemographicTable.pdf GaryIndianapolisSouthBendNORCs DemographicTable.pdf GaryIndianapolisSouthBend_CHARTS.pdf Also, the state planning project has consolidated survey results from all three of Indiana's urban NORC's participating in the pilot project, in order to construct a slightly larger sample for interpretation and comparison with the two small town NORC's in Linton and Huntington, Indiana. This report can be found at: Marion County August 25, 2008 Five central Indiana Area Agencies on Aging are taking the lead to develop local planning initiatives from the recently released AdvantAge Initiative survey. CICOA Aging and In Home Services represents eight central Indiana counties. CICOA was one of the pioneering organizations involved in the original AdvantAge Initiative project dating to 2000. While the current survey considers all eight counties, the data can still provide an interesting comparison over time to the 2000 survey conducted in Marion County. From the original AdvantAge Initiative project, CICOA and multiple partners have developed the Lifelong Learning Communities initiative and have also made significant strides in improving the home environments of seniors on Indy's southeast side. Central Indiana survey reports can be found here: Area8 Indiana Final Charts.pdf Indydemographic tableArea8.pdf Northeast Indiana community leaders look towards the future Undated Fort Wayne, August 6, 2008. Mayors, county executives, planners, funders, aging advocates and other community leaders from nine counties in Northeast Indiana are gathering to receive the first “dose” of data from the recent AdvantAge Initiative survey, the most comprehensive survey of older adults conducted in Indiana to date. Through the leadership of Aging and In-Home Services of Northeast Indiana, Inc., a three year Aging in Place planning initiative has begun. The initiative will make use of survey results to kick-start community participation and planning efforts throughout the region, in preparation for the coming “silver tsunami.” The luncheon summit will bring together leaders from the region to hear Dr. Stafford review area results and begin a process that promises to change the environment for aging in a positive way. Adams County Demographic Profile Allen County Demographic Profile DeKalb County Demographic Profile Steuben County Demographic Profile Wells County Demographic Profile Whitely County Demographic Profile Planning To Make Indiana Elder-Friendly PowerPoint South Bend Neighborhood taking the lead in creating a good place to grow old Undated South Bend, August 7, 2008. For several months, older residents of the LaSalle Park neighborhood in South Bend, Indiana have been discussing the strengths of and the challenges faced in their community. Creating a “community for life” is the goal of this extensive citizen-led initiative, with a grant from the Indiana Family and Social Services Administration, Division of Aging. With a high concentration of older residents, the neighborhood is an official “NORC” – a naturally occurring retirement community. On August 7, project leaders gather to hear a report from the extensive AdvantAge Initiative survey, conducted throughout Indiana and providing common data for communities throughout the state. Philip Stafford, the Director of the Center on Aging and Community will present the findings to the group of residents and engage them in an initial work session to “make meaning from the data”, to help enable citizens to plan a better future for their neighborhood as a place to grow up and grow old. |