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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2024 Older Adult Services Annual Report2024 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 West Age Well Center Our 2024 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 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. •Hales Brown, Lifelong Learning and Social Programs Manager Facility & Safety Operations: The Age Well Centers 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-Halterman, Older Adult Services – West Age Well Center •Jessika Hardin, Older Adult Services – West Age Well Center •Suzanne Michot, Substitute Older Adult Services Representative •Belen Carmichael, Substitute Older Adult Services Representative •Stephen Topping, Substitute Older Adult Services Representative Older Adult Services 2024 Annual Report | 3 Our Service To The Community Our programs include onsite and online program options which promote health, lifelong learning, social connections, and aging in place options. In 2024 we had 7,440 enrollments with 1,364 onsite programs and 46 online programs for a total offering of 1,410 programs. •The average age of program participants was 75 years with women making up 74% of registrations •Of program participants who filled out an evaluation, 91% agreed or strongly agreed that the program met their expectations •1900 Subscriptions to the Age Well enewsletter •The majority of program registrations were from the following zip codes in order of greatest number to least number of registrations: »80304 »80303 »80305 »80301 »80302 46 Online Programs 1364 Onsite Programs 1900 Subscribers to the Age Well Newsletter 7440 Program Enrollments 4 | City of Boulder Our Initiatives & Partnerships Anti-Ageism Initiative Older Adult Services works with the belief that ageism in any form is unacceptable. Our staff have developed a training called Understanding Ageism which is available to city employees, volunteers, older adults and organizations in our community. This training looks at the various aspects of ageism from institutional to internalized ageism and offers suggestions on how to challenge and reverse those beliefs. Partnerships Partnering with other organizations is essential in providing a wide range of services to our older adult community. In 2024 our local and county partners included the Regional Aging Network; Justice Coalition for All - Ending Abuse in Later Life; Eldercare Network; Adult Protection Review Team; and Boulder County Area Agency on Aging. 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 2024 they served 12,652 meals. 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 •Groundworks Art Lab Boulder •Boulder Universal Multi-District Online School •Family Hearing •Boulder International Film Festival •Via Mobility •3rd Law Dance/Theater •Sans Souci •Integrative Physiology of Aging (IPA) Lab - CU Boulder •Boulder Library District •Intermountain Health •Quinsight •Rocky Mountain Technical Solutions Colorado •Sweet Arts Glass •Bohemia Art •Boulder County District Attorney’s Office – Community Protection Division •Workforce Boulder County •Mental Health Partners (Clinica Family Health and Wellness) •TRU Community Care •Boulder Housing Partners •Colorado Legal Services •Mobility For All •Collaborations with the City of Boulder departments/ divisions included Boulder Fire-Rescue, Utility Billing, Climate Initiatives, Open Space and Mountain Parks, Transportation & Mobility, Community Vitality, and Parks and Recreation Lifelong Boulder Initiative The City of Boulder is a Colorado Lifelong City. This designation emphasizes that age-friendly communities foster economic growth and lead to happier, healthier community members. The recommendations in the Lifelong Boulder Initiative will inform the city’s work for years to come. In 2024, OAS worked with the following city departments on Lifelong Boulder’s age-inclusive values: Planning & Development Services for the Boulder Valley Comprehensive Plan update, Facilities and Fleet for the Western City Campus (Alpine-Balsam) development, Boulder Police Department, and Parks and Recreation. Older Adult Services 2024 Annual Report | 5 Special Events Older Adult Services often hosts special events and larger programs. Coffee with a Cop In 2024 Coffee with a Cop was hosted at the West Age Well Center. Coffee with a Cop is designed to break down the barriers between police officers and the community members they serve by creating space to ask questions, voice concerns, and get to know the officers in the community. 55+ Job Fair The Older Adult Services 55+ Job Fair was hosted at the East Age Well Center. Co-sponsored by Workforce Boulder County, this event is highly requested and anticipated by older adults living in the City of Boulder. The 55+ Job Fair was attended by more than 80 older adults seeking employment opportunities, 15 employers looking to hire, and over 10 local non-profit and human services agencies within Boulder County offering volunteer opportunities and community support services and resources for older adults. Customer Feedback Customers had lots of good things to say about our programs. Some examples include: Sans Souci Dance Film and Discussion “Watching the films has opened my eyes to many different cultures and forms of expression through movement. I am so grateful for this class.” Boulder Public Art Guided Walking Tour “I learned a great deal about public art and objects I had passed in my years here but never studied. Plenty of time to ask questions and take photos.” Groundworks Art Lab Pottery “Low stress, high enjoyment hands-on activity where everyone is successful!” 1-on-1 Technology Coaching “The Technology Coaching program is so valuable in helping me navigate new technology, crucial in today’s quality of life, especially for older adults.” Feldenkrais: Movement With Ease “Feldenkrais is life-affirming for anyone who wants more stability and ease of movement. I am totally hooked....I leave every class feeling more upright, more confident in walking and moving, and with fewer of the niggling little pains in some of my joints.” 6 | City of Boulder Information & Assistance Case Management Our case managers provided a continuum of service from information & assistance to short-term case management, which included financial assistance for older adults. We saw the following in 2024: •509 hours serving 272 case management clients •290 hours serving 477 information & assistance clients •718 services were logged •42 home visits were made •750 drop-in services at the West Age Well Center were provided with financial assistance, document support, and information and assistance as the most requested services. •Median average age was 74 years old •For clients who self-reported gender: »67% female »32% male »1% other •$18,653 was the average household income for clients who reported income •The majority of clients were from the 80304, 80301, 80302, 80303, and 80305 zip code areas in order of greatest number to least number. •The most common areas for local referrals for services were: »Financial assistance (general) »Legal services »Housing (financial assistance with housing and home maintenance) »Health & Wellness (health insurance, financial assistance with healthcare expenses, behavioral health) »Other (food, transportation, etc.) Financial Assistance Older Adult Services distributed the following amounts to 163 unduplicated eligible customers: •$95,982 for assistance with basic needs (food/rent/ transportation/utilities/healthcare, etc.) •$13,000 for eye exams and glasses through the James Hynd Trust (countywide) •$114 in program scholarships •$15,726 external funding (funds that required case managers to apply for or arrange through other organizations) Older Adult Services is grateful for funds from the following organizations and entities: •Boulder County Area Agency on Aging •Community donations •Frasier •American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds •Hynd Blind Fund of the Jame Hynd Trust Older Adult Services 2024 Annual Report | 7 Our Volunteers In 2024 Older Adult Services benefited from 1,681 volunteer hours from 74 volunteers for a value of $56,296.69. Volunteers contributed time and skill in a wide variety of areas including but not limited to creative expression such as art, photography, open mic, poetry & storytelling, memoir writing as well as book clubs and other discussion groups. Other volunteers led games, activities, and sport groups including mahjong, cribbage, bridge, canasta, Texas Hold ‘Em, table tennis, bike riding, and trips and meet up escorts. In addition, volunteers also offered their time and expertise with a technology assistance program. All of our special interest groups are volunteer-led and contribute to Older Adult Services’ commitment to providing an opportunity for social connection with peers. Our volunteers are essential in supporting Older Adult Services’ mission of inspiring and empowering older adults to age well through community connection, learning, and play. The City of Boulder’s Volunteer Cooperative supports our staff efforts in working with and celebrating our volunteers. The Age Well Advisory Committee provided feedback and insight into various city-led projects and initiatives such as Parks and Recreation’s Civic Area Phase 2 planning and the Future of Recreation as well as the Boulder, Longmont, and Broomfield HOME Consortium. Two members of the Committee attended the May 16, 2024, City Council meeting to receive the Older Americans Month Declaration. Our Vision: Looking Ahead 2025 Older Adult Services goals to create a healthy and socially thriving environment for older adults in 2025 include: 1. Increase the number and diversity of older adults who experience positive health, wellbeing, and socialization. 2. Older adults increasingly experience Boulder as a safe, supportive, and inclusive community where they can age well. 3. Decrease the number of older adults who experience loneliness and isolation and while increasing social connections. 4. Older adults with lower incomes are able to meet their basic needs. 5. Continue the work of Lifelong Boulder. 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 Data and Analytics staff for their help with the preparation of this report and to the Older Adult Services team for their incredible work and commitment to older adults in our community.