Our Thome Aging Well Program recently awarded $4 million to 16 Maryland and Michigan nonprofit housing organizations to support the expansion of aging-in-place initiatives with a track record of success.

Funded by the Edward N. and Della L. Thome Memorial Foundation, Bank of America trustee, this four-year, $19 million program will help older adults living in affordable communities to age safely and securely at home.

The programs, supported with grants ranging from $190,000 to $300,000, focus on improving the physical, mental and financial health of residents aged 55 and older served by these organizations. Through a wide range of activities and resources, these programs are designed to enhance well-being, reduce isolation, and allow residents to continue to live comfortably in their homes as they grow older.

Grant recipients are:

Maryland

AHC Greater Baltimore will address physical and mental health needs, including substance misuse and high emergency room use, that reflect the disproportionate impact of Covid and lack of access to healthcare among black and minority older adults living in a 55+ community in Baltimore.

Cedar Lane Senior Living Community will empower aging residents in St. Mary’s County to maximize their independence by providing direct access to physical therapy, occupational therapy, cognitive therapy and dietician services.

Community Housing Partners will expand existing health programming with the addition of a senior health specialist serving two Baltimore City communities and advancing technology solutions for tracking, evaluating, and measuring health outcomes.

Enterprise Community Development will expand its Aging in Community Program to four communities in the Baltimore area. New services offered will focus on medical and wellness visits, food security and community building.

Govans Ecumenical Development Corporation will scale its Active Aging program, which includes wellness, fitness and social engagement activities, to three communities in Baltimore City.

Homes for America will expand its Community Health Programming at Bay Forest Senior Apartments in Annapolis. The programming will provide an on-site, full-time resident services coordinator and a part-time registered nurse to improve resident health outcomes to allow residents to age in place with dignity and respect.

Housing Authority of Baltimore City will create a clean and safe environment for their older adults by expanding their Housekeeping Assistance Program and case management services.

St. Ambrose Housing Aid Center will expand case management services, referrals to internal and external resources, and estate planning through their Baltimore home repair program to provide additional supports to older adults wishing to stay in their aging homes.

The Community Builders will establish a home-based Stop Overdoses + Addiction Recovery program at two senior and disabled communities serving over 400 residents with unique needs in Baltimore City.

Unity Properties will grow their resident services staff to support deeper engagement with their Baltimore City residents around health and well-being, independence and social and civic engagement.

Michigan

Avalon Housing will deepen and expand in-home, hands-on assistance with daily living activities and enhanced nutrition support to their residents in Washtenaw County.

Detroit Catholic Pastoral Alliance will provide food and household items to additional homebound seniors in Wayne County and implement a new transportation program to enable older adults access to local stores and pharmacies and cultural events.

North End Woodward Community Coalition will scale its Equitable Internet Initiative Service to five senior housing properties in Wayne County, providing residents with internet access and practical computer skills training.

Presbyterian Villages of Michigan will implement its Wellness Equity Initiative, which includes wellness and exercise classes, internet access and telehealth suites, at their properties located in Bay, Calhoun, Isabella, Macomb and Wayne counties.

Samaritas will expand access to their Healthy Wellbeing and Education Program to their aging residents living in 15 Michigan counties across the Lower Peninsula.

Brio Living Services (formerly UMRC & Porter Hills) will address the physical and mental health needs of their residents living in Kent, Wayne and Washtenaw counties through music therapy, team training on mental health needs, exercise and wellness classes, and a speaker series.

In addition to grant funding, each Thome grantee will:

• Be able to participate in a multi-year learning collaborative comprised of other grantees from their state
• Receive up to 15 hours of in-kind technical assistance from a third-party evaluation firm
• Have the opportunity to network with funders in the field

Enterprise launched the Thome Aging Well program at the start of 2022. Over the next four years, the program will improve the health and well-being of older adults with low income by supporting organizations dedicated to:

• Helping these individuals age with dignity at home
• Incubating new and innovative programs
• Sharing knowledge across a rich partner network

The program will prioritize organizations serving communities or groups that have and are continuing to experience persistent health inequities.

Conducted in multiple grant phases, the Thome Aging Well Program will both scale efforts with proven results and foster innovative approaches to the structural barriers that hinder the ability of older adults to age well while continuing to live in their homes.

A second round of grant funding to foster innovation in the field is expected in early 2023.

For more information, contact Claire Louis, Director, Thome Aging Well Program, or Stephany De Scisciolo, VP, Impact, Evaluation and Population Health.