Vibrant Communities: Aging

OBJECTIVE 1
Workforce lens: Develop skilled caregiving workforce, and attribute higher value to caregiving work​

Action Items
  • Start caregiving training and Personal Care Assistant (PCA) certification programs in high school and to increase competition for these skilled workers
  • Increase pay rates and provide benefits for all caregiving staff to help attract workers to the field and retain them
  • Advocate to increase stagnant federal funding
100th birthday celebration, Cattaraugus
County Department of Aging
OBJECTIVE 2
Improve access to transportation and housing
Action Items
  • Equity lens: Make public transit available across the region, including all rural areas, so that seniors can age at home safely and stay connected and active
  • Increase access to wheelchair-accessible vans for rental by agencies, driving services and individuals
  • Require community review for new senior housing projects with agencies' feedback
  • Equity lens: Prioritize senior housing in walkable communities in downtown revitalization efforts
OBJECTIVE 3
Increase support for aging at home
Action Items
  • Resilience lens: Direct more funding toward “consumer-directed” home care by families and friends
  • Promote the numbers to public officials and leaders that living at home is more affordable on average than leaving home for group care ($10-15k annually)
  • Equity lens: Make funding available for residential safety improvements not only for owned homes, but also for rentals and for mobile homes on rented land. Rental units and mobile homes tend to be smaller and single-story, so are more manageable for senior residents to age in, but rentals do not qualify for financial assistance for shower bars, lifts, etc.
Other Actions and Objectives
  • ​Create Seniors Councils meets to advocate for the needs of the aging ​
  • Increase access to nutritious food via mobile markets, SNAP use at farmers markets
  • Decrease isolation with more intergenerational spaces, such as child care alongside elder care
  • Increase support for seniors to have virtual medical appointments
  • Provide advocacy for navigating medical services
  • Create dementia-friendly systems
​Number of seniors receiving day services through county offices of aging = 691
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Number of seniors on waiting list to receive services or an increase in services = 739
SOUTHERN TIER WEST
​Center for Regional Excellence
4039 Route 219, Suite 200
Salamanca, NY 14779

716-945-5301  
​Fax 716-945-5550

STW"s mission is to help coordinate and enhance planning and development activities in Allegany, Cattaraugus, and Chautauqua Counties so as to promote social, physical, and economic development in these counties.  Southern Tier West seeks to improve the quality of life for the region's people and assure that the "people of the Southern Tier West region have access to adequate occupational, educational, and recreational opportunities; environment; health care services; housing; public safety; and transportation.
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