With a three-year grant from Medical Mutual, Kent State University's College of Public Health is conducting a three-part project focusing on senior health and wellness. First, the college will conduct a senior-focused community needs assessment with the help of the area’s Senior Center Research Consortium. The consortium comprises over 20 senior centers, senior living and aging agencies spanning several counties. The needs assessment, which will be led by Steve Paciorek, Ph.D, and graduate students from the college, will be distributed to more than 50 centers.
“The purpose of the senior-focused community needs assessment is to collect, synthesize, and disseminate information that can help inform evidence-based solutions for improving health and socialization outcomes for our area seniors,” said Sonia Alemagno, Ph.D., dean of Kent State's College of Public Health.
Alemagno continued that people aged 55 and older make up the largest demographic group in our community. The Community Needs Assessment for Older Adults is a key component in helping researchers understand and meet the different needs of older people.
By gathering information on their health, social life and the environment they live in, caregivers can figure out what help they need most. These assessments give a clear view of the challenges older adults face, like getting healthcare or feeling lonely. They guide health care professionals in creating specific programming, services and policies to support them better and help them age successfully. Ultimately, this makes the community a better place for older people to live happily and comfortably.
In addition to the community needs assessment, the collaboration will provide continuing education for senior center directors, staff and volunteers, including community health workers.
Topics will focus on fall prevention, senior abuse and neglect, nutrition and more. The partnership also brings bi-weekly visits from the newly established Mobile Flashes interprofessional student teams to deliver screening services and education to older adults.
“Bringing students out to the community provides not only a rich learning experience for our Kent State undergraduate and graduate students, but provides important social connectedness for seniors,” Alemagno said.
According to Alemagno, each piece of the project is designed to increase awareness and positively impact senior health and wellness.
“We are grateful to Medical Mutual for recognizing the importance of senior health and supporting this innovative project,” she said.
“Being connected is at the core of our well-being. We are grateful to support Kent State and this project, which allows us to support and promote social connectedness while empowering students to gather critical information that helps our communities respond to their residents' ever-changing health needs,” said Christian Corzine, vice president, clinical services and operations, Medical Mutual.
According to the Ohio Department of Aging, there are more than 2.8 million residents age 60 and older in Ohio, and Healthy Northeast Ohio indicates that there are nearly 625,000 persons age 65 and older in Cuyahoga County.
To learn more about taking the survey, contact Steve Paciorek, Ph.D., at spaciore@kent.edu.