Shirley and Melvin Springs reside in Charlotte where they were referred by their insurance company to Centralina AAA for support services. Melvin was diagnosed five years ago with dementia. Melvin, due to his diagnosis, needs 24-hour supervision and hands-on assistance with activities related to daily living. Centralina AAA provided Shirley with opportunities to take time back for herself while knowing Melvin was in good hands. Read on to learn how.

Residents’ Rights Month is an annual celebration of residents living in long-term care facilities. This opportunity focuses on enhancing awareness around the dignity and rights of individuals receiving long-term services and support. 

Did you know that every second of every day, an older adult age 65 and older falls? In recognition of Falls Awareness Month, held each September, Centralina Area Agency on Aging (AAA) is highlighting the work it does to support older adults so they can remain living in their homes and communities.

In NC, individuals who are “Hispanic or of Latino Origin” comprise roughly 3% of the state’s 65+ age group and are the third-largest ethnic population. In order to meet the needs of this often underserved group, Centralina Area Agency on Aging spearheaded a variety of new collaborations to reach out to the region’s Hispanic older adult population. This included hiring consultant Myra Green, a community health worker who is not only bi-lingual but is also an expert in services for older adults.

For more than 50 years, the Older Americans Act (OAA) has connected older adults and their caregivers to services that help older adults age with health, dignity and independence in their homes and communities—where they want to be! In 2024, Congress must again reauthorize this vital federal program that serves every community in the country. With the rapid growth of America’s aging population, one in five Americans are projected to be 65 or older by 2030. Learn more about how the OAA helps older adults in our region.

In 2015, the CONNECT Our Future regional growth plan identified transportation choice as a key priority for the region and in 2021, CONNECT Beyond, our region’s first mobility plan, was adopted. Transportation continues to remain a top need for older adults and people with disabilities across the region. In response, the Centralina planning and aging departments partnered together on mobility management to address transportation needs for older adults and people with disabilities. This effort included the development of a rideshare study and rideshare resources for older adults and people with disabilities.

For older adults living in a home by themselves, limited ability to engage in activities they enjoy or socialize in their community can put them at higher risk for being affected by social isolation. Social isolation among aging adults is a pressing issue with significant implications for one’s well-being, including putting a person at higher risk for developing heart disease, dementia or other life-altering conditions. Centralina Area Agency on Aging is actively working to reduce social isolation and loneliness in regional communities through educating residents and stakeholders about the public health concern, what it entails and what people can do to address it in their own community.

Did you know that more than 12% of adults in the United States have a mobility disability including serious difficulty walking or climbing stairs? And, closer to home, based on the 2022 state aging profile, 21% of North Carolinians who are 65 and over live with a disability that affects their ability to ambulate. In response, Centralina Area Agency on Aging (AAA) used ARPA funding to develop the Housing & Home Improvement program, which provides a variety of home modifications to older adults, including wheelchair-accessible ramps.

For most people, falls aren’t something they think about preventing until they themselves or someone they know experiences a fall. For some older adults, making necessary modifications to increase accessibility in the home are great ways to prevent falls and promote mobility, but are often financially inaccessible. Centralina Area Agency on Aging (AAA) recently participated as a pilot provider for the NC Fall Prevention Program, which helped to provide applicable participants in the greater Charlotte area with low-level fall prevention home modifications and education. 

Centralina Area Agency on Aging (AAA) strongly supports opportunities for professional development and continuing education to help each staff member grow in their roles and responsibilities and best serve residents and member communities throughout our region. This fall, AAA staff took part in three different training and certification opportunities to help increase knowledge and capacity in order to fulfill Centralina’s organization-wide mission to advance opportunity and improve quality of life for our region’s residents and communities.