Senior Living Grants Dashboard

Senior Living Grants

Grantee:  Saint Joseph Health System
Project: Older Adult Community Health Worker Initiative
Amount:  $500,000
Date Approved:  6/18/2019
Year 4 Report Submitted:  6/28/2023

The Foundation of Saint Joseph Health System received the fourth of five installments of their $500,000 grant to support their Older Adult Community Health Worker Initiative to help seniors access resources for health, safety, and independence using Community Health Workers (CHWs).

The project demonstrated significant successes in year four, including an increase in referrals and encounters, totaling 556 referrals and 2,223 encounters. The CHWs achieved a high success rate, successfully closing at least 95% of cases. Their interventions led to a remarkable reduction in ER visits and hospital admissions for over 90% of patients referred from the ER or hospital. CHWs played a crucial role in helping patients manage their health conditions, and they successfully provided 187 meal and hygiene boxes to those in need.

Despite the successes, the project faced challenges related to finding affordable housing or placements in assisted living facilities due to limited availability. This posed difficulties in addressing housing needs adequately for some seniors. Additionally, sustaining the program proved challenging due to the low reimbursement rate for the work done by CHWs in the state of Indiana. However, the project remains committed to its mission, and there is a hope to secure additional grant dollars to continue and expand the work, given the ongoing need for support for seniors in the community.

Personal story:

“There was a patient who had several no shows to appointments. It was asked that a CHW become involved. When the CHW went to the home, the patient was barely mobile. The CHW called 911 and went to the hospital to receive care. The steps into the home were falling apart, the door did not lock, and there were old frozen meals on the table that the patient would eat if she had an appetite. Working with agencies that we have developed relationships with the CHW was able to get a ramp installed, a working locking door, and meals delivered to the home. She was able to connect the patient to a Care Manager and Social Worker that assisted with the care plan and patient was able to remain in her home, as it was her wish.”

Grantee:  LOGAN
Project: Assistance to Add to the Quality of Life for Seniors with an I/DD in SJC
Amount:  $65,000
Date Approved:  6/21/2022
Final Report Submitted:  6/30/2023

LOGAN, an organization focused on improving the quality of life for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) in St. Joseph County, received a $65,000 grant to make various upgrades and improvements to enhance the well-being and safety of the senior clients. Upgrades included interior painting in residential group homes, advanced security lighting at doors, ramps for handicapped accessibility, durable outdoor furniture, and bathroom remodels. Additionally, emergency funds were utilized to cover necessary needs such as repairing teeth and glasses, providing dentures, acquiring new furniture, and supplying warm clothing.

The project did not encounter any major challenges, and the planned updates and renovations proceeded smoothly. As always, the dedicated caseworkers of LOGAN Protective Services overcame the minor challenges they faced with compassion and care, achieving significant and vital outcomes for their senior clients.

The project has had significant successes, benefiting the senior clients in various ways. The bathroom remodels and sidewalk installation at the Wabash group home improved accessibility for the residents, ensuring their safety and comfort. The painting, siding replacement, and security equipment upgrades enhanced the quality and safety of the group homes. The funding for Protective Services enabled case managers to continue their essential work of supporting and protecting vulnerable senior clients without adequate family involvement. The new outdoor polywood furniture in the Studios Day program facilitated seniors’ engagement in creative activities and social interactions, leading to positive outcomes as they age.

Grantee: Robinson Community Learning Center – University of Notre Dame
Project:  RCLC Program for Senior Adults
Amount:  $40,000
Date Approved:  6/21/2022
Final Report Submitted:  6/29/2023

The Robinson Community Learning Center (RCLC) Programs for Senior Adults received the first of two installments of a $40,000 grant to address the needs of senior adults who experienced social isolation and restricted activities due to COVID. The project aimed to scale up existing programs and provide expanded opportunities for intellectual discourse, learning, social interaction, and community engagement.

RCLC faced several challenges in year one that impacted the project’s progress and outcomes, which included difficulty in collaborating with other senior-serving agencies to offer joint programs or create a shared calendar and a delay in implementing specific programs. Despite the interest and enthusiasm from both the RCLC and partner organizations, certain initiatives were postponed due to external funding requirements. Seniors’ hesitancy in committing to every session and the unavailability of RCLC classrooms during summer for youth programs contributed to the delay.

The RCLC also achieved major successes in year one, including high levels of enrollment and regular attendance by senior adults throughout the year. Not only did seniors attend dedicated senior events, but they also actively participated in various other RCLC gatherings. Attendance figures included 35 to 45 seniors attending eight monthly Lunch and Learn Lectures, 8 seniors attending a weekly book club, 22 seniors attending a monthly book club, 15 seniors attending a weekly computer class, and more. Despite initial challenges, successful planning meetings were held with various organizations, indicating future collaborations that would expand the scope and impact of senior programs. The RCLC managed its resources efficiently and looks forward to continuing these programs.

Grantee:  HealthLinc
Project: Food as Medicine for Underserved SJC Seniors
Amount:  $25,000
Date Approved:  6/21/2022
Final Report Submitted:  6/29/2023

HealthLinc received $25,000 to address food insecurity among underserved low-income senior citizens in St. Joseph County. The program aimed to prioritize dual-eligible seniors for Medicare and Medicaid. Through a food program that ran from September to December 2022, over a hundred senior patients were enrolled. The program provided healthy food boxes including low-sodium canned goods, pantry items, fresh produce, and frozen meat products. The goal was to reduce food insecurity among seniors by 10% and improve chronic conditions like hypertension and diabetes, which depend on healthy eating.

The project saw several successes. Participants expressed satisfaction and reported positive impacts on their food situation. The program enrolled 130 patients, exceeding the initial target of 100 and out of this population, 68% had an active diagnosis of hypertension, 38% had type 2 diabetes, and nine patients were pre-diabetic. The success of the program was evident from the overwhelming response, as patients eagerly signed up and expressed their gratitude.

The project also faced challenges. There were unexpected costs, including additional staff time and the disposal of excess cardboard boxes from food bank deliveries and necessitated extra pick-ups each month. Additionally, after tabulating invoices with the food bank, the quoted food costs were higher than the actual final cost of food, meaning those funds could have been reallocated to provide more food. However, these additional funds allowed HealthLinc to host one more Senior Food Event out of the Mishawaka clinic in June 2023, serving 86 of the original patients. HealthLinc also initially planned to include delivery to patients’ homes if they could not pick up the food, but this turned out to not be a viable option. The program also received feedback to include a greater variety of meat products and softer foods in future iterations; in the future, HealthLinc will adapt food lists accordingly in order to assist a greater population.

Grantee:  South Bend Heritage Foundation
Project: Aging in Place Resident Life Program
Amount:  $10,000
Date Approved:  6/21/2022
Final Report Submitted:  6/26/2023

South Bend Heritage Foundation received $10,000 to support their Aging in Place Resident Life Program, which focuses on providing supportive services and activities to enhance the well-being of seniors. The program aims to decrease isolation, promote health awareness, and keep seniors mentally active, thereby reducing cognitive decline.

South Bend Heritage faced minimal challenges during the year, with the only notable opportunity for improvement being the desire to increase resident participation to 75%. While the organization was able to lift some of the restrictions implemented because of the pandemic, there were still lingering effects of COVID-19.

One of the program’s most notable achievements was the increased engagement of residents across the three communities it served. With over half of the seniors actively participating in the program’s activities and events, the organization succeeded in reducing isolation and promoting social interactions, positively impacting the overall well-being of the seniors. The program’s initiatives had a tangible and positive impact on the residents’ lives. Notably, the provision of free tickets to a play at the Morris Performing Arts Center allowed 20 residents to experience a performing arts show, with many attendees enjoying such an event for the first time as adults. The positive response and eagerness for more experiences like this demonstrated the program’s success in providing meaningful and enriching opportunities.

Grantee: New Carlisle Olive Township Public Library
Project:  Senior Health Series
Amount:  $3,250
Date Approved:  6/21/2022
Final Report Submitted:  6/2/2023

The New Carlisle-Olive Township Public Library (NCPL) received $3,250 to offer a series of health classes targeted primarily at seniors, including a variety of exercise classes with different instructors such as yoga, tai chi, stretch and release, and low-impact cardio. Additionally, NCPL offered two daytime healthy cooking classes targeted toward seniors and a health screening. Classes were offered at no cost to participants from December 2022-May 2023. The main goal of the program was to provide seniors with an opportunity to have access to regular exercise, health-related educational opportunities, and to facilitate opportunities for socialization.

The main challenges NCPL faced during the project were staffing issues and maintaining attendance for specific programming. It was also difficult for NCPL to get returned phone calls and emails from the healthcare provider who was contacted to provide the health screenings.

Success was measured through class attendance. Classes were well attended with a core group of 23 seniors who regularly participated in the exercise classes. Additionally, 29 individuals attended occasional classes (at least 3 classes). This was far above NCPL’s goal of having at least 10-12 regular attendees and 12-15 occasional attendees. Feedback was also overwhelmingly positive, with many participants sharing how much they enjoyed and benefitted from the classes.