**AoA Older Americans Month 2008 Program Champion**

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**[Project]{.underline}**: Aging Together Partnership

**[Organization]{.underline}*:*** Aging Together

**[Project Description]{.underline}**

Aging Together, a broad consortium of over 100 organizations and
individuals in the 5 counties of the Rappahannock Rapidan region of
Virginia is a collaborative effort to help our localities prepare for an
unprecedented growth in the older population and to assure that local
residents will have the services and supports they need as they age.
Partners include the area agency on aging, 5 departments of social
services, a wide variety of service providers, local governments,
community hospitals, United Way, AARP, civic organizations, schools, the
faith community, caregivers, and of course, seniors themselves. At its
inception, the partnership adopted the name Aging Together to reflect
the reality that aging affects everyone and that the only way to improve
supports for older adults and their families is to work collaboratively.

Aging Together's vision for aging is that citizens living in the
Rappahannock Rapidan area retain their sense of place and community,
serve and contribute to that community, and are assured of help when
needed from family, friends, neighbors and places of worship, as well as
from helping organizations and a responsive government. All seniors are
valued and are able to access care options in a manner reflective of
their needs and preferences.

Aging Together does not provide direct services but rather focuses on
facilitating collaborations that create and enhance supports for older
persons delivered through various partner organizations. Teams in each
county meet monthly to develop resources to address needs within each
area. Regional workgroups collaborate across agencies and counties to
develop responses to region wide issues. County Resource Specialists in
each county assist with the development of services including building a
strong volunteer network. Aging Together is proud to be part of a select
group of partnerships supported by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation's
*Community Partnerships for Older Adults* program, and to date has
generated \$1.6 million to enhance services in the region.

Examples of regional service expansion that Aging Together has
facilitated since beginning to implement its strategic plan in May 2006
include:

***♦ Adult Day Care Expansion*** -- As 4 of the 5 counties had no adult
day care program, Aging Together partners collaborated on the opening of
DayBreak, a new regional Adult Day Care Center.

***♦ Rural Transportation Enhancement*** -- One of the local County
Aging Together Teams initiated a Volunteer Transportation system for
seniors that since its inception in August 2007 has recruited 15
volunteers and provided 75 trips for elder citizens to physician
appointments, pharmacy visits and shopping. The other Aging Together
County teams are now replicating this model within their localities.

***♦ Health, Wellness and Caregiver Supports*** -- Aging Together helped
the local Area Agency on Aging secure funding from the Virginia
Healthcare Foundation to assist low-income adults obtain free
prescription medicine. In the first year, 210 individuals obtained
medication worth \$309,944. The Health and Wellness Workgroup provides
free or discounted medical ID's to area seniors and family caregivers,
and is working on a project to distribute a geriatric assessment tool to
be used by primary care physicians. The Caregiver Support Workgroup
implemented locally based training for family caregivers that supported
75 caregivers in 2007.

***♦ Long Term Care Workforce Recruitment and Retention*** -- Aging
Together collaborates with the local Community College to offer a series
of classes for supervisors and direct care staff, designed to promote
retention of long term care workers. The Workforce Development Workgroup
conducts an annual recognition program for outstanding front line
workers in the LTC field.

***♦Information for Consumers & Decision-Makers*** -- Owing to the work
done by Aging Together, this region has been selected to be an Aging and
Disability Resource Center as a pilot in the state's No Wrong Door
initiative. Aging Together has assured that local providers post
detailed local resource information on the state's Senior Navigator
website, and that consumers have access to that information in various
ways.

For more information visit
[www.agingtogether.org](http://www.agingtogether.org/) or contact Chris
Miller at (540) 829-6405 or via e-mail at <cmiller@agingtogether.org>