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Home My WebLink About2023 Older Adult Services Annual Report2023 Annual Report Older Adult Services City of Boulder Housing & Human Services Department 2 | City of Boulder About Us Older Adult Services is part of the Housing & Human Services Department. We offer all adults 60 and over a safe and welcoming environment. Our programs and services are delivered in Age Well Centers that honor the needs and desires of older adults. We are committed to supporting an age-inclusive community through our work on anti-ageism, Lifelong Boulder, mitigating social isolation and encouraging community engagement. Older Adult Services staff provide a continuum of services from health and wellness to lifelong learning, case management and supportive services. Eden Bailey Older Adult Services Manager East Age Well Center Our 2023 Programs & Services Case Management: Case Managers assist City of Boulder residents 60+ and their caregivers with referrals to community resources, counseling on available options, case management, and financial support for eligible clients. Services include coordination of support groups on a variety of topics as well as aging in place programs. • Emma Gooding-Lord, Case Manager • Ashley Fowler, Case Manager • Wade Branstetter, Case Manager Health & Wellness Programs: A variety of classes and services offer information about mental, physical, and emotional health and well-being as well as health supportive programs such as therapeutic massage, foot care, dental services, and hearing and vision screenings. • Maureen Dobson, Sr. Program Manager • Judy Kreith, Dance and Fitness Instructor • Peter Michaelsen, Yoga Instructor Lifelong Learning Programs: A variety of classes that offer lifelong learning in technology, creative pursuits, and social connection, including special interest groups on topics such as writing, book clubs, photography, biking, table tennis and more. Offerings also include local and regional trips and international travel. • Whitney Garcia, Lifelong Learning and Social Programs Manager Facility & Safety Management: The Age Well Centers continue to maintain high standards of safety and service ensuring that customers and staff work in a welcoming and supportive environment. • Facilities Operations Specialist, Cody Carlough Program & Administrative Support: Programs and administrative needs include production of our Let’s Age Well Program Guide, our weekly e-newsletter, and other marketing materials. • Lorna McClanahan, Program Support Specialist Customer Service: Customer Service Representatives provide the first point of contact for older adults and assist in registering for classes. • Karen Maye, Older Adult Services Representative - East Age Well Center • Brooke Crocker, Older Adult Services Representative -East Age Well Center • Melody Salazar, Older Adult Services - West Age Well Center • Jessika Hardin, Older Adult Services - West Age Well Center • Suzanne Michot, Temp Older Adult Services Representative • Belen Carmichael, Temp Older Adult Services Representative • Saara Inskeep, Temp Older Adult Services Representative Older Adult Services 2023 Annual Report | 3 Our Service To The Community Our programs and services included onsite and online options which promoted health, lifelong learning, and social connection. In 2023 we had 6,834 enrollments with 1,013 onsite programs and 105 online programs for a total offering of 1,118 programs. • The average age of program participants was 76 with women making up 76% of registrations. • Of program participants who filled out an evaluation 89% agreed or strongly agreed that the program met their expectations. • East and West front desk staff received a total of 6,527 incoming calls • 1,706 subscribers to the Age Well Newsletter • The majority of program registrations were from the following zip codes in order of greatest number to least number of registrations: »80304 »80303 »80302 »80305 »80301 105 Online Programs 1013 Onsite Programs 1706 Subscribers to the Age Well Newsletter 6834 Program Enrollments 4 | City of Boulder Our Volunteers In 2023 Older Adult Services benefited from 1537.5 volunteer hours from 81 volunteers for a value of $48,892.50. Volunteers contributed time and skills in a wide variety of areas including but not limited to game groups such as mahjong, cribbage, bridge, canasta, Texas Hold ‘Em; creativity, art, and photography groups, book groups, a bike group, an open mic and poetry & storytelling group, a writing group, table tennis, a volunteer technology assistance program with students, escorts for outings (trips), discussion groups, and the Age Well Advisory Committee. All of our special interest groups are volunteer-led and contribute to Older Adult Services’ commitment to providing opportunity for social connection with peers, and its mission which is to inspire and empower older adults to age well through community connection, learning and play. Information & Assistance Case Management Our case managers provided a continuum of service from information & assistance to short term case management, which includes financial assistance, for older adults. We saw the following in 2023: • 471 hours serving 274 case management clients • 348 hours serving 599 information & assistance clients • 771 services were logged • 27 home visits were made • Median average age was 74 years old. • For clients who self-reported gender: »65% female »34% male »1% other gender • The majority of clients were from the 80304, 80301, 80302, 80303, and 80305 zip code areas. • 2,303 incoming calls to the Helpline Financial Assistance Older Adult Services distributed the following amounts to 158 unduplicated customers: • $96,393 for assistance with basic needs (food/rent/transportation/utilities/healthcare, etc.) • $13,000 for eye exams and glasses through the Hynd Fund (countywide) • $362 in program scholarships • External funding: $16,009 (funds case managers were able to apply for or arrange through other organizations) Funding Sources Through Older Adult Services • Boulder County Area Agency on Aging • Community donations • Frasier Resident Community • American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds • Hynd Blind Fund of the Jame Hynd Trust Older Adult Services 2023 Annual Report | 5 Our Vision: Looking Ahead 2024 Older Adult Services goals for 2024 include: 1. Maintaining and increasing health and wellness, lifelong learning and social programs 2. Increasing technology skills and social connections through technology education and coaching 3. Continuing to provide information and assistance and case management to older adults and their family caregivers 4. Continuing to provide basic needs financial support for older adults living with lower incomes 5. Continuing the work of Lifelong Boulder Our Initiatives & Partnerships Anti-Ageism Initiative Older Adult Services works with the belief that ageism in any form is unacceptable. Our staff continue to work on trainings that will be available to city employees, volunteers, older adults and organizations in our community. These trainings will emphasize the importance of an age-inclusive community as outlined in the Lifelong Boulder Initiative. Partnerships Partnering with other organizations is essential in providing a wide range of services to our older adult community. In 2023 our local and county partners and national memberships included: Regional Aging Network; Justice Coalition for All (JCALL – Ending Abuse in Later Life); Eldercare Network; Adult Protection Review Team; National Council on Aging; and the American Society on Aging. Program Collaborations Program collaborations included Boulder Community Health; Visiting Nurses Association; Dental Aid; Alzheimer’s Association; AARP; Boulder County Area Agency on Aging; Active Minds; Studio Arts Boulder; Collette Travel; Boulder Universal Multi-District Online School; Family Hearing; Boulder International Film Festival; Via Mobility; NeuroPong; 3rd Law Dance/Theater; Sans Souci; Tech Pals; Snow Day Innovations, LLC; Integrative Physiology of Aging (IPA) Lab, CU Boulder; Cultivate. Collaborations with City of Boulder departments included the Public Library, Climate Initiatives, Open Space and Mountain Parks, Transportation & Mobility, Community Vitality, and Parks and Recreation. Through our partnership with Meals on Wheels Boulder, the Eat Well Café offered lunch to all community members five days per week at the West Age Well Center. In 2023 they served 12,155 meals at the West Age Well Center. West Age Well Center for Older Adults 909 Arapahoe Ave. Boulder, CO 80302 303-441-3148 Monday - Friday, 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. East Age Well Center for Older Adults 5600 Sioux Dr. Boulder, CO 80303 303-413-7290 Monday-Friday 8:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. Meals on Wheels Eat Well Café Located inside the West Age Well Center Open for lunch Monday - Friday, 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Thank you to HHS staff, Monica Richtsmeier and Nicolia Eldred-Skemp, that support our work and assisted with this report.