The Council On Aging Of Buncombe County Inc

PROMOTING AND IMPROVING THE GENERAL HEALTH AND WELFARE OF SENIOR ADULTS IN BUNCOMBE COUNTY BY ADMINISTERING A VARIETY OF PROGRAMS AND SERVICES DESIGNED TO MEET THEIR NEEDS.

RESOURCE COORDINATION (RC) & CARE MANAGEMENT THIS YEAR IN RESOURCE COORDINATION (14.7% OF REVENUES), WE HAD AN ESTIMATED COST SAVINGS OF ALMOST 325,000 IN DOCUMENTED RESULTS, WITH ANOTHER ESTIMATED VALUE OF OVER 131,000 THROUGH OVER 13,000 CALLS FOR INFORMATION & ASSISTANCE. THESE VALUES ARE BASED ON ACCESS TO HOME REPAIRS AND TANGIBLE GOODS, AS WELL ACCESS TO SERVICES FOR INCREASED BENEFITS AND REDUCED EXPENSES. WE BEGAN THE YEAR WITH A HARD SHIFT FROM REGULAR CLIENT VISITS IN THE HOME AND IN OUR OFFICES TO INCREASED TELEPHONE ASSISTANCE AND LIMITED HOME VISITS, AS WELL AS STAFF WORKING IN A HYBRID OFFICE/REMOTE ENVIRONMENT. RESOURCE COORDINATION STAFF WENT INTO FULL FORCE TO INCREASE FOOD DELIVERY SERVICES, SOURCING PAPER GOODS AND CLEANING SUPPLIES, PET FOOD, CELL PHONES, PPE AND MORE TO DELIVER TO OUR CLIENTS. WE WORKED WITH PARTNER AGENCIES TO PROVIDE SERVICES TO THOSE IN NEED OF IN-HOME CARE. WE SERVED 80 CLIENTS, MORE THAN 40% WERE AGE 75-84. WE SERVED CLIENTS IN 15 ZIP CODES AND OVER 90% WERE HIGH RISK FOR IADLS/ADLS AND HAD HIGH NUTRITIONAL RISKS. FOR CARE MANAGEMENT (32.7% OF REVENUES), OUR CAREGIVER SPECIALIST AND CARES LIAISON SERVED FAMILY CAREGIVERS IN BUNCOMBE AND MADISON COUNTIES WITH FAMILY CAREGIVER RESPITE AND HOSTED VIRTUAL SUPPORT GROUPS. OUR ELDER JUSTICE NAVIGATOR ASSISTED THOSE REPORTING ELDER ABUSE. WE HELPED HUNDREDS OF RESIDENTS RECEIVE COVID VACCINATIONS. TWO OF OUR SERVICE COORDINATORS CONTINUED TO WORK IN HUD HOUSING TO ENSURE RESIDENTS WERE SAFE, WELL AND ENGAGED AT BATTERY PARK AND VANDERBILT APARTMENTS.

SENIORS SAFE AT HOME IN ADDITION TO THE SUPPORT OF LEGAL AID OF NORTH CAROLINA, THE DOGWOOD HEALTH TRUST PROVIDED SUPPORT TO THE AFFORDABLE CARE ACT PROGRAM. WITH THESE COMBINED EFFORTS, WE MAGNIFIED OUR EDUCATION AND OUTREACH INITIATIVES SUBSTANTIALLY TO BROADEN OUR AUDIENCE TO COVER THE EIGHT WNC COUNTIES WE SERVE IN THIS PROGRAM. FROM FY20 TO FY21, WE INCREASED OUR APPOINTMENTS BY 40% AND 25% MORE ENROLLMENTS (63% OF THE INCREASED CONSUMER NAVIGATIONS). IN ADDITION TO THE ABOVE, WE OFFER MINOR HOME REPAIR AND VOLUNTEER TRANSPORTATION SERVICES (CALL A RIDE/CAR). IN MINOR HOME REPAIR, WE PROVIDE CONTRACT SERVICES THROUGH PARTNERSHIPS IN OUR AREA (MAHEC HOME BASED PRIMARY CARE AND PACE) AS WELL AS OFFER ASSISTANCE THROUGH RC AS PART OF OUR WRAPAROUND SUPPORT. WE ASSIST WITH GRAB BARS AND OTHER MINOR HOME IMPROVEMENTS. IN CAR, WE PROVIDE VOLUNTEERS WHO ASSIST INDIVIDUALS IN GETTING TO/FROM APPOINTMENTS AND ON ERRANDS AS PART OF THEIR ACCESS TO SERVICE AND SUPPORT.

HEALTH AND WELLNESS THIS YEAR WAS PARAMOUNT WE SERVED OVER 53,000 MEALS TO OVER 550 INDIVIDUALS. THE SENIOR DINING AND WELLNESS PROGRAM (23.8% OF REVENUES) IMPROVED THE HEALTH AND WELLBEING OF OLDER ADULTS BY PROVIDING NUTRITIOUS HOT MEALS FROM MOOSE CAFE THAT MET ? RDA CRITERIA FOR OLDER ADULTS. THE HOT MEAL FROM MOOSE CAFE WAS THE MAIN MEAL OF THE DAY FOR 79% OF THE SENIOR DINING CLIENTS IN A FEBRUARY 2021 SURVEY. THE MEAL SITES THROUGH THE CITY OF ASHEVILLE, BLACK MOUNTAIN PARKS & RECREATION AND WEAVERVILLE FIRST BAPTIST NEVER STOPPED SERVING...FROM CONGREGATE DINING TO DELIVERY AND THEN TO CURBSIDE PICK-UP. COA STAFF AND VOLUNTEERS, TOGETHER WITH THESE PARTNERS, WORKED TIRELESSLY TO ENSURE THAT THESE NUTRITIONAL NEEDS WERE MET, PARTICIPANTS HAD ACCESS TO RESOURCES AND INFORMATION, AND THAT ALL WERE SAFE AND MAINTAINED A SENSE OF SOCIAL CONNECTION AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT.

OTHER ACCOMPLISHMENTS: WE HAVE TRAVELED THOUSANDS OF MILES THROUGHOUT THE YEAR TO DELIVER FOOD TO HUNDREDS OF CLIENTS IN BUNCOMBE COUNTY. WE PROVIDED CONTACTLESS DELIVERIES OF SHELF-STABLE FOODS, FRESH PRODUCE AND RESOURCE MATERIALS AS WELL AS HERB GARDENS, YOGA DVDS, SPECIAL TREATS, PET FOOD, PAPER GOODS AND SUPPLIES. WE SHARED CARDS FROM FRIENDLY PEN PALS, DELIVERED USDA FOOD BOXES, AND TURNED OUR OFFICE INTO A FOOD STORAGE SPACE. WE WORKED WITH LOCAL ORGANIZATIONS, LIKE MANNA FOODBANK, CALVARY EPISCOPAL CHURCH, MEALS ON WHEELS OF ASHEVILLE BUNCOMBE, AND OUR WONDERFUL VOLUNTEERS TO MAKE THIS HAPPEN WE EMBRACED PARTNERSHIPS IN RURAL AREAS, SUCH AS FAIRVIEW, AS WELL AS WITH CLINICAL STAFF IN PROGRAMS SUCH AS HOME BASED PRIMARY CARE. ALTHOUGH OUR OFFICES WERE CLOSED TO VISITORS, WE GOT A NEW TELEPHONE SYSTEM AND BEGAN A DATABASE MIGRATION TO WORK TOWARD EFFICIENT TECHNOLOGIES THAT WOULD ENHANCE OUR ABILITY TO SERVE. THANKS TO OUR DONORS AND PARTNERS, OUR MOTIVATION TO CONTINUE MARCHING ON AS ESSENTIAL STAFF WAS UPLIFTED