Faith in Action: Elder Outreach assists older adults to live with dignity and continue independent living at home as long as possible and provide help to family caregivers. Frequently, older persons prefer to stay at home rather than be institutionalized. To this end, Faith in Action: Elder Outreach recruits and trains volunteers to provide free, quality home-based care giving services to frail older adults and families. Services include: (1) Instrumental (assistance with instrumental daily living needs such as chores, shopping, housework, home repairs, pet and plant care, and meal preparation) (2) Emotional (home visits to prevent isolation and monitor health and functional status) (3) Respite (relief periods for families from their care giving responsibilities) and (4) Informational and Referral (helping older adults and their families access additional services).

Description:
Our program has been actively providing services to older adults with long-term health care needs or disabilities in Fayette County since October 2004, and was expanded to Scott County in 2007. The free, nondiscriminatory services, not covered by state-funded and community-based long-term health care programs and provided by volunteers of the Faith in Action: Elder Outreach is increasing as our elder citizens face income and resource challenges. The need for our services in the Bluegrass Region is rapidly increasing as the older adult population continues to grow, while at the same time, the number of care givers declines. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, there are more than 54,000 households with at least one or more persons over the age of 65 in the 17-county Bluegrass Region. This is 20% of all household in this region. Delayed institutionalization will help control increasing health and long term care costs and taxes.

History:
: Our local elder outreach program’s history is unique in that it is supported by a coalition of different faith groups, local social service agencies and aging service organizations that help us assist older adults who need support and care to remain in their homes. Faith in Action: Elder Outreach was initiated on October 1, 2003 with a seed grant from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. Since the program’s inception, we have formed a coalition of 35 congregations and 12 community organizations to partner with us in support of our mission.

Contact people:

Becky Parsons, Executive Director, (phone), (email) Julie Melloan, Program Coordinator, (phone), (email) Sheri Hart, Administrative Assistant, (phone), (email)

Office fax number: (859) 288-4768

Address:

1530 Nicholasville Road Lexington, KY 40503 (See a map)

Web Site: http://www.faithinactionelderoutreach.com