America’s Health Rankings are out, and special attention is paid to senior health and wellness. How can we help our older community members remain healthy and vital? Praxia Partners’ initiative, Community Building Partners, has worked for decades to build communities for older adults that support their health and well-being. Find out how…
Some of the factors that contribute to the increased health and well-being of older adults are supported by their community. Affordable housing communities such as Sharon Glyn and Corban-Commons support older adults and their loves ones by asking: What makes a good life?
- Well-planned affordable housing incorporates health care. Wellness centers, visiting nurses, and on-call doctors all contribute to older adults’ positive health outcomes. For instance, at Corban-Commons, the primary service provider is LifeCare Alliance, which was formed over a century ago, and the Central Ohio Area Agency on Aging coordinates PASSPORT, a Medicaid waiver program that helps seniors remain independent. “Having a case manager helping a senior along with a loved one also gives some relief to their caregiver,” Joe Recchie, Praxia Partners CEO, explained.
The older population is at risk for food insecurity. Congregate meals, often provided by local nonprofits, ensure all residents can enjoy nutritious meals. Additionally, by keeping housing costs low, older adults don’t have to decide between rent, medication, and food.
Health disparities between races, ethnic groups, sexes, income levels, and geography stubbornly persist. By supporting service-enriched, affordable housing, low-income, urban older adults of all races and ethnic groups can enjoy security and access to health care. “Our senior housing has allowed us to answer a gap in the housing market for seniors, specifically low and moderate income households,” said William Dodson, Executive Director of Dayspring Christian Community Development Corporation, which partnered with Community Building Partners on Corban-Commons.- Creating community instills a sense of belonging and increases well-being. For instance, Sharon Glyn houses a library, hobby room, exercise room, coffee shop, and congregate dining room where residents meet for meals. Activities allow residents to pursue their talents and passions. Community life at Sharon Glyn includes euchre and domino groups, bingo, a walking club, monthly bookmobile visits, yard sales, bake sales, plus holiday and birthday parties.
To learn more about service-enriched affordable housing, check out:
- Affordable Service-Enriched Senior Housing Comes of Age: Sharon Glyn and Corban-Commons
- Supportive services for seniors: What makes a good life?
Check out the Health Rankings for yourself. How does your state rank? You can sort that data by age group, sex, and race.
