Albany and Schenectady County have been awarded more than $25,000 to plan communities that caters to the aging and disabled, according to officials.
The Community Empowerment grant from the New York State Office for the Aging is designed to assist in their efforts to promote and plan more aging and disabled friendly communities, which support older adults and disabled individuals to remain in their community for as long as they wish, according to information form the Albany County.
`The Community Empowerment Project is consistent with our current efforts to develop a comprehensive long term care plan for the county that expands affordable and reliable home and community-based long term care services in our community,` Albany County Executive Mike Breslin said in a written statement. `We must ensure our communities have the supports and services in place to enable residents to remain where they want to be for as long as possible.`
`Hopefully this grant will help us meet our goal of keeping more of our seniors at home,` said Albany County Legislator Lucille McKnight, chair of the Legislature’s Social Services Committee.
`Schenectady County has long supported efforts that promote the health and well being of our older residents. This grant will help us design programs and services that will allow our seniors to remain in our community,` said Susan Savage, chairwoman of the Schenectady County Legislature.
The county’s Long Term Care Council’s, NY Connects program, which is the `point of entry` for long-term care and aging agency will join forces with the University at Albany to educate the public about the benefits available to the aging and disabled.
The counties will team up with the municipalities, businesses and `consumer representatives, to plan for long and short-term strategies. It will focus on; housing, out-door spaces, transportation, building, employment and more, according to Albany County.
Albany County-NY Connects can be reached at 518-447-7177. Schenectady County-NY Connects can be reached at 518-382-8481 ext. 1000.
Check back at www.Spotlightnews.com and the Wednesday, Aug. 12 edition of the Spotlight Newspaper for an update to the story.“