Visit these organizations and websites to obtain information about housing and service programs for older adults, and strategies for helping older adults with low incomes maintain their health and independence.
Older Adults
National Council on Aging (NCOA) is a nonprofit service and advocacy organization that works with entities across the country to help seniors find jobs and benefits, improve their health, live independently and remain active in their communities.
The SCAN Foundation produces a number of publications related to aging and long-term services and supports.
The Kaiser Family Foundation provides independent information, research and analysis on major health issues. Extensive information is available on the Medicare and Medicaid programs and beneficiaries, as well as related health reform initiatives.
Services
National Council on Aging Improve Health Initiative provides information, tools and resources to help seniors improve their health, manage chronic conditions, prevent falls and access community education and behavioral health resources. In particular, two initiatives may serve as a resource:
- The Center for Healthy Aging helps community-based organizations develop and implement evidence-based programs that promote healthy living for older adults.
- Better Choices, Better Health® (BCBH) is an online version of the evidenced-based Chronic Disease Self Management Program, which was developed and tested at the Stanford University Patient Education Center. BCBH is available to individuals in all 50 states as part of a one-year national pilot.
Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) Innovations Exchange helps solve problems, improve health care quality and reduce disparities by promoting program and practice innovations and tools. The AHRQ website includes materials on community-based service programs that affordable senior housing properties could use to help them address residents’ physical and behavioral health needs.
The website features innovations and tools in such categories as Coordinating Community Care for Seniors and Clinical-Community Linkages to Improve Chronic Disease Care. The Innovations Exchange features a profile of Cathedral Square Corporation’s Support and Services at Home (SASH) program.
Evidence-Based Toolkit for Addressing Chronic Disease is a three-part resource designed to help community-based organizations become more effective in preventing or managing the seven most common chronic conditions among older adults, which include arthritis, cancer, depression, diabetes, falls, heart disease and obesity.
Part I describes and provides implementation guides for 35 programs that have documented their positive effects on the health of older adults. Parts II and III provide instruments for measuring changes in health and wellbeing among individuals who have one or more of the most common chronic conditions.
United Hospital Fund’s Aging in Place Initiative fosters the development of new models of care that support the health and wellbeing of older people living in the community. The Initiative conducts community, program and policy analyses; fosters partnerships among health care, social service and housing organizations; and facilitates the development of innovative model programs.
These programs support the expansion and improvement of New York City’s aging services, including Naturally Occurring Retirement Communities (NORC). While New York is the focus of this work, its relevance is national.
Health Indicators offers an easy-to-use survey tool, manageable database and step-by-step process that helps community-based organizations understand and take action on the key health risks among the older adults they serve. Health Indicators was developed as part of a NORC program initiative. However, the health indicators tools and processes can also be applied in affordable senior housing settings.
Next Step in Care provides easy-to-use guides to help family caregivers and health care providers work closely together to plan and implement safe and smooth care transitions for chronically or seriously ill patients. Because transitions between care settings (like hospital to home) are often rushed, miscommunication and errors can occur. Next Step in Care materials emphasize careful planning, clear communication and ongoing care coordination.
Administration on Aging’s Health, Prevention and Wellness Program provides a list of health, prevention and wellness programs currently supported by the Aging Network, as well as a snapshot of related resources and links.
Housing
Corporation for Supportive Housing strives to solve homelessness by making supportive housing work for the most vulnerable people in our communities, including chronically homeless people, veterans, children in foster care, Native Americans, the elderly and people involved in the criminal justice system.
Enterprise consists of Enterprise Community Partners, Inc., which provides expertise for affordable housing and sustainable communities, and Enterprise Community Investment, Inc. and Enterprise Community Loan Fund, Inc., which provide financing for affordable housing and community development.
National Housing Conference and the Center for Housing Policy work together to broaden understanding of the nation’s housing challenges and to examine the impact of policies and programs that address pressing housing concerns. These concerns include foreclosure prevention, neighborhood stabilization, rental housing preservation and coordinated housing and transportation policies.
Bipartisan Policy Center’s Housing Commission aims to reform the nation’s housing policy by crafting a package of realistic and actionable policy recommendations that consider near-term and long-term challenges in the housing sector.
Harvard University Joint Center for Housing Studies advances understanding of housing issues and informs policy through research, education and public outreach programs.