WEST ROXBURY, MA (January 6, 2010) — Tufts Health Plan Foundation announced this week that it has awarded nearly $1.3 million dollars in grants to 37 non-profit organizations throughout Massachusetts including AgeWell West Roxbury (AWWR), a pilot initiative of Ethos. Like a majority of their grantees, AWWR Vibrant Living @ Home programming will support the Foundation’s Healthy Aging initiative, which expands access to programs that improve the lives and well-being of seniors.
Thanks to the Tufts grant, AgeWell West Roxbury’s Vibrant Living @ Home programming plans to enhance the health and well being of seniors by offering FREE programs aimed at improving nutrition and chronic disease management and mental and physical and fitness. In addition, AWWR is in the process of recruiting local residents as peer leaders to assist with the implementation of these programs throughout West Roxbury.
“Through AgeWell West Roxbury, Ethos is looking at new and innovative ways of keeping seniors in their community and homes above and beyond Ethos standard program and services,” states Ethos Executive Director, Dale Mitchell. “AWWR’s Vibrant Living @ Home programming is one more way that we can address unmet needs of elders, promote a more “elder-friendly” environment and foster a community in which residents are encouraged to support the elderly in West Roxbury.”
Some of the AWWR programs and activities planned for this year are: indoor and outdoor walking clubs; “Healthy Eating,” a seven-week program that encourages participants to understand and implement eating and activity behaviors that support heart and bone health; “My Life, My Health,” a six-week program that helps participants to build self-confidence to assume a major role maintaining their health and managing their chronic health conditions; “My Way Village” Connected Living, an elder-friendly version of Facebook that connects participants to their family, friends and the community and includes intellectually challenging activities; and other intellectually stimulating activities such as scrabble, bridge, or trips to cultural events.
The Tufts Health Plan Foundation launched its Healthy Aging program in 2009, an initiative designed to help meet the challenges of an aging society. Through grants in the three areas of vibrant lifestyles, intergenerational collaboration and keeping our seniors safe, the Foundation seeks to fund programs that will elevate the physical, mental, and emotional well-being of older adults; enable them to contribute their experiences and knowledge to their communities; and ultimately help older adults live longer, healthier lives.
“AgeWell West Roxbury and our grant recipients represent innovative, community-based programs that are truly making a difference in our neighborhoods,” said David Abelman, executive director, Tufts Heath Plan Foundation. “We look forward to partnering with each organization to ensure that we are expanding access to critical services.”
