Each year AJFCA (Association of Jewish Family & Children’s Agencies — the North American umbrella agency of JF&CS) announces a number of categories for their annual KOVOD award. The categories for the award vary from year to year, and all member agencies are invited to submit.
This year, JF&CS received FIRST place in the category Collaborative Program for AgeWell Pittsburgh’s collaborative outcome measurement initiative. AgeWell Pittsburgh is a well-established interagency collaboration of JF&CS, the Jewish Association on Aging and the Jewish Community Center that provides a continuum of services (e.g., care management, exercise, adult day care) designed to keep seniors independent. Seniors enter the continuum via any of the services or through the AgeWell Pittsburgh information and referral line or website.
In addition, AgeWell Pittsburgh works closely with the Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh’s Aging and Human Services Commission and the University of Pittsburgh, as well as affiliate partners such as the Squirrel Hill Health Center, Riverview Towers and more.
AgeWell Pittsburgh has more than 5,000 seniors enrolled in services each year, with thousands of additional seniors participating in educational events and/or receiving support through the phone line. I would imagine that many of you reading this have been touched by AgeWell Pittsburgh, either through direct service, as a family member or caregiver of a client, as a referral source or as a partner!
Staff performs extensive outreach, evaluation and referral to ensure that seniors receive the services they need to maximize their independence. An innovative tool developed by AgeWell Pittsburgh, “Protective Factors for Independence”, is routinely used with clients in order to measure changes in risk factors shown by research to correlate with an increased likelihood of nursing home admissions. This tool enables us not only to closely monitor individual clients and make informed interventions and service decisions, but also to objectively demonstrate the value of community-based support services for older adults.
Recent outcomes for AgeWell Pittsburgh clients are impressive, and include the following:
Half the rate of emergency room visits per year as compared to typical Pittsburgh Medicare recipients 42% fewer hospital admissions per year as compared to typical Pittsburgh Medicare recipients 85% fewer admissions to skilled nursing facilities per year as compared to typical Pittsburgh Medicare recipients The older adults served by AgeWell Pittsburgh are at the heart of this truly collaborative model. State of the art approaches, such as the Protective Factors tool, are designed to maximize independence and quality of life to the highest degree possible. AgeWell Pittsburgh’s approach to client care is comprehensive and integrated, ensuring that limited community resources are utilized as efficiently as possible. For more information on AgeWell Pittsburgh services, please call 412.422.0400 or visit agewellpittsburgh.org.