The Sanford Center for Aging is expanding its free health and wellness workshops for older adults and people with disabilities in Nevada, made possible through two newly awarded grants.
“Thanks to the grant funding we have received, we are currently working to build relationships with organizations in the state to better serve older adults,” said Hannah Linden, MPH, director of health and wellness programs for the Sanford Center for Aging. “After the notification of grant funding, we are beginning to collaborate and then will acquire the necessary training to best serve our community.”
The first grant, awarded by the Administration for Community Living, totals $1,247,301.
Sanford Center is one of only five recipients nationwide. The three-year project will expand chronic disease self-management education programs across Nevada, focusing on older adults and adults with disabilities who are also managing behavioral health conditions.
“With this grant we will offer the chronic disease self-management program, diabetes self-management program, health coaches for hypertension control, Fit & Strong! and Enhance Fitness,” said Linden. “The project involves working with multiple partners throughout seven counties in Nevada, including Washoe, Clark, Elko, Lyon, Nye, Lincoln and Esmeralda.”
Among the programs, the health coaches for hypertension control initiative will be new to Nevada. It will connect trained professionals with residents managing hypertension through both in-person and virtual settings for accessibility and convenience.
The second grant, from the National Council on Aging, provides $75,000 to develop an innovative approach to reducing falls among older adults. Sanford Center is partnering with REMSA Health and the Reno Fire Department to identify people who have fallen and connect them with support and resources.
“Once complete, the team will follow up to determine if the information is helping and the individual is improving,” said Linden. “We are looking forward to collaborating with REMSA Health and RFD as their work allows them to reach a population that we normally have trouble reaching, so they are able to refer older adults who otherwise would likely never be connected with the Sanford Center. Many of the people they are reaching are those who are most vulnerable and in need of tools to help them prevent additional falls.”
These new offerings will complement existing Sanford Center programs, including the Diabetes Prevention Program, Healthy Steps for Older Adults, Stepping On and Powerful Tools for Caregivers.
All workshops are free and primarily designed for people age 60 and older.
“We offer our programs on a rotating basis throughout the year,” said Peter Reed, Ph.D., director of the Sanford Center. “With this new funding, we will be able to amplify our reach and connect with more participants who could benefit from our free resources. This is directly tied to the mission of Sanford Center for Aging, to support the health and well-being of older adults in Nevada.”
