Community Partnerships

Many factors contribute to optimal health and healthcare for older adults. In addition to outstanding clinicians and clinical services, many psychosocial and environmental factors influence individual health behaviors as well as access to care. In order to ensure the best health outcomes it is critical for providers to have an awareness of the assets and barriers to health and disease management that exist in the communities where older adults and their caregivers live. Our community has many services that help older adults with linkages to care and reduction of psychosocial stressors. Hence we encourage partnerships for research, interdisciplinary training, and care between URMC and community providers and agencies. Agencies with which we partner to care for older adults include:

• Eldersource. Eldersource, a service of Lifespan and Catholic Family Center, consists of a team of over 20 professionals who provide guidance for eldercare situations, including telephone-based information and referrals, as well as in-home assessment and care management. Since 2003 Eldersource, along with other community-based aging service providers, have partnered with URMC faculty in the Department of Psychiatry to develop novel evidence-based models of integrated care for older adults and those who care for them to increase awareness, access and quality of mental health services. This partnership is known as the Senior Health and Research (SHARE) Alliance. Eldersource staff also are helping provide care to our Memory Care Program patients with dementia and their caregivers.
• The Alzheimer’s Association, Rochester and Finger Lakes Chapter. The Alzheimer’s Association of Rochester & the Finger Lakes, one of 70 chapters across the U.S., includes Chemung, Livingston, Monroe, Ontario, Schuyler, Seneca, Steuben, Wayne and Yates counties. The Alzheimer's Association is the world's leading voluntary health organization in Alzheimer's care, support and research. Dedicated chapter staff and volunteers provide a wide variety of disease-oriented educational programs for people with dementia, their care partners, and professional providers. In addition they enhance care and support for people with dementia and their families through services, including a 24-hour Helpline, care consultation services, and support groups. Alzheimer’s Association staff also provide services onsite as members of the Memory Care Program team.
• Lifespan. Lifespan, founded in 1971, is an organization dedicated to providing information, guidance and services that help older adults take on both the challenges and opportunities of longer life. The staff provides more than 30 non-medical services and also serve as a resource for non-biased information, guidance and education on age-related topics. In addition to collaboration with the University though the SHARE Alliance, Lifespan also partners with the URMC Primary Care Network on an evidence-based fall prevention program, Matter of Balance.
• Monroe County Office for the Aging (MCOFA). MCOFA, designated by the federal and state governments as our local Area Agency on Aging, is responsible for planning, coordinating, funding and advocating for programs and services which meet the needs of Monroe County residents age 60 and over. Services are targeted to individuals with the greatest social and/or economic need, placing emphasis on serving those older persons who are low-income, minority and/or those with physical and mental disabilities.  In addition to administering programs for older adults under the auspices of the Older Americans Act and the New York State Office for the Aging. MCOFA often serves as a coordinating body that brings academic and aging service network providers together to respond to program announcements with age-related foci.