Strategic Workgroups

Community Outreach

Workgroup leader:

Louise Starmann, Aging Care Connections (formerly Southwest Suburban Center on Aging)

Goal

The Community Outreach workgroup strives to increase older adult awareness of programs and services that can assist them, and to increase the ability of community organizations (such as banks, businesses, police, fire, paramedics, local government, libraries and faith-based organizations) to link older adults to needed services. The workgroup achieves these goals through the Senior Ambassador program and through two new initiatives which bring marketing professionals and representatives from local villages into the Aging well partnership.

There are currently six Aging Well Volunteer Senior Ambassadors providing outreach throughout greater Lyons Township. They receive training on a regular basis about services available to older adults. The Ambassadors visit businesses frequented by older adults and their caregivers such as banks, beauty salons, libraries and grocery stores to inform managers and their staff about resources available in the community. As a result, older adults who may not have regular contact with senior services or a case manager have received information they can use.

The Community Outreach workgroup has expanded its efforts to increase the dissemination of important information to all twenty Aging Well communities. Community Action Teams are now taking this information out on their routine visits. The workgroup has created a partnership with representatives from fifteen of the local villages. Marketing professionals have also been brought into the partnership. At least once a month, village contacts and marketing professionals are provided with timely information about programs and services for seniors. They share this information by placing it in village newsletters, posting it in public spaces and discussing it with other service providers and older adults. These professionals also have the opportunity to provide the Community Outreach workgroup with information that will be distributed by the Ambassadors throughout the community.

Accomplishments

• Recruited 10 Aging Well Volunteer Senior Ambassadors: 6 will continue serving in 2009
• Received significant media coverage about the work of the Ambassadors
• Hosted an after-hours event for marketing professionals which resulted in 23 individuals involved in the distribution of pertinent, timely information to the community
• Hosted a kickoff breakfast for village contacts; 15 villages have appointed a designated contact person to receive timely information from Aging Well
• Informed local businesses about older adult services and programs with nearly 300 Ambassador visits

Strategic
Workgroups

Central Access Point

Community Outreach

Direct Care Worker Employer

Isolated Older Adults

Planning for the Future

Transportation