Council on Aging of Greater Nashville DBA AgeWell Middle Tennessee
Programs
Description
AgeWell provides trusted information on healthcare, housing, transportation, help at home, and more. We offer four critical resource guidebooks and community education. Guidebooks can be mailed FREE of charge during the COVID-19 pandemic.
• The Directory of Services for Older Adults - the only comprehensive, impartial resource guide for older adults in Middle TN, the 21st edition will be published in January 2021 and 20,000 copies distributed.
• Aging & Caring: A Guide for Families and Caregivers - designed to help individuals who are embarking on the caregiving journey think through important issues with their aging loved one(s).
• Empowering Grandparents: A Guide for Grandparents Raising Grandchildren - offers vital information and support for grandparents caring for grandchildren.
• Preparing and Planning for Life's Final Chapter - contains practical considerations for end-of-life care options, and guidance on communicating with doctors, family members, and friends.
Program Areas Served
Middle TN
AgeWell provides trusted information on healthcare, housing, transportation, help at home, and more. We offer four critical resource guidebooks and community education. Guidebooks can be mailed FREE of charge during the COVID-19 pandemic.
• The Directory of Services for Older Adults - the only comprehensive, impartial resource guide for older adults in Middle TN, the 21st edition will be published in January 2021 and 20,000 copies distributed.
• Aging & Caring: A Guide for Families and Caregivers - designed to help individuals who are embarking on the caregiving journey think through important issues with their aging loved one(s).
• Empowering Grandparents: A Guide for Grandparents Raising Grandchildren - offers vital information and support for grandparents caring for grandchildren.
• Preparing and Planning for Life's Final Chapter - contains practical considerations for end-of-life care options, and guidance on communicating with doctors, family members, and friends.
Program Areas Served
Middle TN
Description
Social connection and support is critical for older adults, especially now, during the COVID-19 pandemic. In this era of social distancing, AgeWell is strengthening its phone support services to ensure that older adults have a place to call for a friendly chat and assistance. On a daily basis, we receive calls from older adults and caregivers who not only seek connection but also struggle with financial insecurity and concerns about healthcare and/or long waiting lists for services. Our expert staff helps older adults and caregivers navigate these challenges with empathy, knowledge, and care. Calls to our Helpline have nearly tripled this year compared to last year.
Program Areas Served
Middle TN
Social connection and support is critical for older adults, especially now, during the COVID-19 pandemic. In this era of social distancing, AgeWell is strengthening its phone support services to ensure that older adults have a place to call for a friendly chat and assistance. On a daily basis, we receive calls from older adults and caregivers who not only seek connection but also struggle with financial insecurity and concerns about healthcare and/or long waiting lists for services. Our expert staff helps older adults and caregivers navigate these challenges with empathy, knowledge, and care. Calls to our Helpline have nearly tripled this year compared to last year.
Program Areas Served
Middle TN
Description
Caregivers in today's health and economic crisis are either working from home or unemployed and caring for children and/or aging relatives. The number of caregivers of older adults in the U.S. has increased by 10 million over the past five years. Tennessee ranks 49th in the country for family caregiver support (Caring.com Best and Worst Family Caregiver Rankings). This abysmal ranking underscores the need for better policies and practices that ease the burden on Middle Tennessee caregivers. AgeWell is responding to this need through Eldercare Coach, a social enterprise that helps local businesses assess employees' caregiving needs and offers employees online resources, group training/Lunch and Learn discussions, and personalized 'care coach' phone consultations for emotional support and resource navigation assistance. We are currently beta-testing and refining our services with area employers and plan to officially launch Eldercare Coach in 2022.
Program Areas Served
Middle TN
Caregivers in today's health and economic crisis are either working from home or unemployed and caring for children and/or aging relatives. The number of caregivers of older adults in the U.S. has increased by 10 million over the past five years. Tennessee ranks 49th in the country for family caregiver support (Caring.com Best and Worst Family Caregiver Rankings). This abysmal ranking underscores the need for better policies and practices that ease the burden on Middle Tennessee caregivers. AgeWell is responding to this need through Eldercare Coach, a social enterprise that helps local businesses assess employees' caregiving needs and offers employees online resources, group training/Lunch and Learn discussions, and personalized 'care coach' phone consultations for emotional support and resource navigation assistance. We are currently beta-testing and refining our services with area employers and plan to officially launch Eldercare Coach in 2022.
Program Areas Served
Middle TN
Description
AgeWell, in collaboration with several local nonprofit organizations, universities, and faith communities, is developing an intergenerational affordable housing pilot project in greater Nashville. The goal of the project is to connect older adult homeowners who have spare bedrooms in their homes with pre-screened graduate students or other adults in need of affordable rent. Home-sharing has many benefits for older adults and renters, financial security, and intergenerational connections/friendships being most prominent.
While the COVID-19 pandemic has caused a delay in launching home sharing, the need for affordable housing has grown significantly. We plan to pilot the home-sharing program in 2022 and continue to secure partnerships, develop program guidelines, map outreach strategies, and prepare marketing materials.
Program Areas Served
Middle TN
AgeWell, in collaboration with several local nonprofit organizations, universities, and faith communities, is developing an intergenerational affordable housing pilot project in greater Nashville. The goal of the project is to connect older adult homeowners who have spare bedrooms in their homes with pre-screened graduate students or other adults in need of affordable rent. Home-sharing has many benefits for older adults and renters, financial security, and intergenerational connections/friendships being most prominent.
While the COVID-19 pandemic has caused a delay in launching home sharing, the need for affordable housing has grown significantly. We plan to pilot the home-sharing program in 2022 and continue to secure partnerships, develop program guidelines, map outreach strategies, and prepare marketing materials.
Program Areas Served
Middle TN
Description
Financial exploitation is a very common form of elder abuse. According to the CDC, 1 out of 10 older adults living at home has been a victim of elder abuse (a low estimate based on the number of reports; actual prevalence is approx. 24x greater). In terms of monetary loss, older adults lose a total of $36.5 billion per year to financial exploitation and fraud. AgeWell keeps Middle Tennesseans informed about financial scams targeting older adults through regular "Scam of the Month" email blasts, reaching 900 subscribers and growing.
In addition, we partner with FiftyForward to host meetings of the Middle TN Elder Watch committee, the local affiliate of the TN Vulnerable Adults Coalition, to safeguard older adults from abuse. Current members of the committee: AgeWell, FiftyForward, Metro Office of Family Safety, MNPD Domestic Violence Division, Adult Protective Services, AARP - TN, You Have the Power, & the Area Agency on Aging & Disability's Greater Nashville Regional Council.
Program Areas Served
Middle TN
Financial exploitation is a very common form of elder abuse. According to the CDC, 1 out of 10 older adults living at home has been a victim of elder abuse (a low estimate based on the number of reports; actual prevalence is approx. 24x greater). In terms of monetary loss, older adults lose a total of $36.5 billion per year to financial exploitation and fraud. AgeWell keeps Middle Tennesseans informed about financial scams targeting older adults through regular "Scam of the Month" email blasts, reaching 900 subscribers and growing.
In addition, we partner with FiftyForward to host meetings of the Middle TN Elder Watch committee, the local affiliate of the TN Vulnerable Adults Coalition, to safeguard older adults from abuse. Current members of the committee: AgeWell, FiftyForward, Metro Office of Family Safety, MNPD Domestic Violence Division, Adult Protective Services, AARP - TN, You Have the Power, & the Area Agency on Aging & Disability's Greater Nashville Regional Council.
Program Areas Served
Middle TN
Description
AgeWell's vision is a community where the wisdom, knowledge, skills, and experience of older adults are respected and valued. One way we live out this vision is by honoring older adults with AgeWell's Sage Awards. These outstanding individuals and couples are nominated by peers because they have demonstrated a lifelong commitment to improving the quality of life in their community. The next Sage Awards - the 29th Annual event - will be held as a virtual event on Monday, October 18, 2021.
Program Areas Served
Middle TN
AgeWell's vision is a community where the wisdom, knowledge, skills, and experience of older adults are respected and valued. One way we live out this vision is by honoring older adults with AgeWell's Sage Awards. These outstanding individuals and couples are nominated by peers because they have demonstrated a lifelong commitment to improving the quality of life in their community. The next Sage Awards - the 29th Annual event - will be held as a virtual event on Monday, October 18, 2021.
Program Areas Served
Middle TN
CEO/Executive Director/Board Comments
| As 10,000 baby boomers turn 65 every day and over 40 million Americans provide care for aging loved ones, there are growing demands on a small nonprofit. AgeWell is at a critical juncture of building infrastructure through staffing, better utilization, and engagement of volunteers, and technology upgrades. The Executive Director and the Board have been working together to strengthen infrastructure and raise funds so that AgeWell can continue to support older adults and caregivers and identify needs and drive collaborative solutions. After participating in CNM's Innovation Catalyst program, we are developing and launching a new social enterprise to support employers and working caregivers. AgeWell is fortunate to have a strong volunteer base with committees that include older adults, family caregivers, and professionals. We are grateful to all who give of their time, talents, and experience in these endeavors. The AgeWell Leadership Council is composed of senior staff from agencies serving older adults. The Leadership Council provides a way for these agencies to look 'big picture' and then take collaborative action. Other committees include Legislative/ Advocacy, Directory of Services, Community Assessment/Special Initiatives, and Sage Awards. In the words of Helen Keller, 'Alone we can do so little. Together, we can do so much.' |
