CVS Health® Foundation has officially announced an amount worth $4 million in grants as a part of its new Healthy Aging initiative.
According to certain reports, the stated grant will be geared towards supporting a host of organizations, including Atlanta Regional Collaborative for Health Improvement in Atlanta, GA, Center for Better Aging in Chicago, IL, EngageWell Independent Provider Association in New York, NY and Palm Health Foundation in Boynton Beach, FL.
More on that would reveal how each organization will receive $1 million in funding to improve health care access and resources for aging community members with brain, heart and behavioral conditions, as well as for their caregivers.
Talk about how each organization will use their share of the grant, we begin from Atlanta Regional Collaborative for Health Improvement (ARCHI), who plans on deploying the money to enhance its Community Resource Hub, and therefore, help older adults with brain, heart and behavioral health conditions connect to essential health care and resources.
All in all, the funding will enable ARCHI to expand its network of partners and eventually better serve aging adults, while simultaneously improving access to medically tailored meals and educational services.
Next up, we have the Center for Better Aging at St. Bernard Hospital. You see, the center will use the CVS grant to improve its coordinated care model, which is designed to address the high rates of chronic conditions across South Side of Chicago. Furthermore, it will establish a data system to track health outcomes for the aging population and support initiatives to strengthen community connections for residents and their caregivers.
“The Center for Better Aging has a mission to advance quality and equality in health care to underserved communities across Chicago’s South Side where health disparities like coronary heart disease and struggles with cognitive difficulty disproportionately affect older adults,” said Estrelitta Harmon, Executive Director, Center for Better Aging. “Support from the CVS Health Foundation will expand our capacity to detect and address critical brain, heart and mental health conditions and provide first-rate specialty care. The CVS Health Foundation will also support programming and social support for the unpaid caregivers who help older adults to manage these complex conditions.”
Then, there would be EngageWell. EngageWell’s plans with the new grant include improving upon its ongoing effort to make health care nimbler and more responsive. On top of that, it will also allow the organization to expand its Care Your Way initiative infrastructure for telemedicine, add more Community Health Workers, and provide medication adherence support for senior citizens suffering from heart and or behavioral health conditions.
Moving on to Palm Health Foundation, it will create a Healthier Aging Initiative as part of its Healthier Boynton Beach to support caregivers who are over 60 years old. This translates to how the organization plans on leveraging the granted funds to more accurately identify, coordinate, and connect health and wellness services for caregivers across the community.
To understand the significance of such a development, we must take into account one report published by Census Bureau, a report where it was revealed that Americans are having fewer children and living longer. Basically, by 2034, more people in the U.S. will likely be over 64 than under 18. Hence, with such a steep uptick projected in elderly population, CVS Health Foundation has now identified an opportunity to introduce Healthy Aging as a new focus area.
As a result, the organization’s new grants will help in simplifying a complex care navigation process, as well as bridging a critical gap in local health care and social systems to help older adults lead healthier lives.
“EngageWell is excited to bring our Care Your Way Initiative to older New Yorkers, focusing on low-income elders of color who often experience barriers accessing quality healthcare,” said Christopher Joseph, Executive Director of EngageWell IPA. “Elders in these communities often experience significant challenges due to chronic health conditions exacerbated by socio-economic factors, shortages in geriatric specialists, and difficulties navigating technology and transportation. By harnessing innovative technology with Community Health Worker technical assistance and outreach, we aim to address the unique needs of aging New Yorkers.”
