Education
Our impact goes far beyond the volunteers and individuals we work with on a one-to-one basis. We work closely with local healthcare agencies, faith communities, local government officials and other partners to highlight the special needs of elders—particularly, ones that enable them to age in place more successfully.
Outreach
We host regular educational programming, including an Annual Educational Forum at Paul Smith’s College that brings national and state experts to the Adirondacks to address top-of-mind topics as concern elders and to help local providers stay engaged with the latest developments in the field.
We offer our Friendship Volunteers and Volunteer Parish Nurses opportunities to participate in educational in-service programs throughout the year.
We have launched an Age-Friendly Communities Education Network to provide in-service and volunteer education retreats for Mercy Care Volunteers, as well as Age-Friendly Community Partner Volunteers.
Mercy Care is a catalyst for systemic change behind the Tri-Lakes Aging in Place Task Force and the Caregiving Working Group of the North Country to help individual elders age in place more successfully and empower our communities to become more age-friendly.
Older Adults living in our rural, mountain communities may experience unique challenges–long distances from services, cold and severe winters, and fewer family caregivers, as many family members move away for education or career opportunities leaving their parents behind.
Age-Friendly Communities
Age-friendly communities are healthy communities, making healthy lifestyle choices easy and accessible for all community members. They are also good places for people to grow up and grow old across the lifespan.
Mercy Care pursues its mission through collaboration and partnership.
Thanks to the support of the Mother Cabrini Health Foundation, we are able to extend the model of our Age-friendly Communities Initiative to other communities in the Adirondacks and the North Country. For example, we are currently with Community Health Center of the North Country, a Federally Qualified Health Center in St. Lawrence County; with Elizabethtown Community Hospital, a critical access hospital, and its health centers in southern Essex County; St. Alexander’s Church in Clinton County; with the Greater Massena Ministerial Association in St. Lawrence County; and most recently with St. Mary’s Church in Ticonderoga. Mercy Care provides technical assistance, training, and tools to help each of our Mission Extension project partners establish and operate their own Age-friendly Community Initiatives.
Home Health Care
Home care services can help elders remain in their homes and participate in their communities even as they confront aging-related issues. In the North Country, though, there are not enough providers to care for those who need it.
When elders can’t get home care, they may have to stay in a hospital longer than is necessary. Or they might need to be institutionalized rather than stay at home—the ideal place to treat many conditions. (Staying at home is far less expensive than going into a care facility.)
If you would like more information about the Reframing Aging Campaign, contact Donna Beal, Executive Director at dbeal@adkmercy.org
