Maine Health Access Foundation Awards Grant to Conduct Intergenerational Adult Day Services Needs Assessment
A community/academic collaborative that brings together the University of Maine Center on Aging (Dr. Len Kaye, Director and Ms. Jennifer Crittenden, MSW, Assistant Director), School of Social Work faculty member (Dr. Sandy Butler, Professor), and community partners including the Eastern Area Agency on Aging (Ms. Dyan Walsh, MSW, Executive Director), Acadia Hospital/Eastern Maine Health Care, Schools and Departments at four University of Maine System campuses (Orono, Fort Kent, Presque Isle, and Farmington: social work, nursing, human development, pre-medicine studies, and physical therapy), and two university child care programs received funding from the Maine Health Access Foundation. This community/academic collaborative has been exploring the idea of creating an adult day services program combined with a child care center in the Bangor area. Grant funds will help the collaborative to assess the appeal for such programming in the region; investigate the possibility of a hybrid social/medical model program; and explore collaborations with the VA. The collaborative believes this program will advance better care and improved health for both older adults with disabilities who use the services and their family caregivers who will benefit from respite. Participants of focus groups exploring factors needed for livable communities in the Bangor area identified respite and inter-generational programs as priorities. The planned program will address the needs of isolated older adults and their caregivers. It will promote inter-generational programming. Social model adult day services are typically private pay (current costs about $8/hour). Costs and transportation can be barriers for low-income elders in using such programs. Our planning will explore methods to overcome those barriers. For more information contact Dr. Sandy Butler: sbutler@maine.edu