The following is a guest blog by Teresa DeAnni, Healthy Aging Programs
Manager for the
Boulder County Area Agency on Aging.
At the Boulder County Area Agency on Aging, we offer a variety of services
and education programs that address health issues faced by older adults.
Our work in the health care field involves partnering and assisting older
individual’s health goals. We find that bringing awareness to the
array of services available in the community helps bring a sense of thriving
we all want as we age.
Our agency works with physicians, nurses, care managers and physical therapists
to provide a range of services and resources to help people age well.
The wellness programs we offer focus on health issues faced by older individuals such as:
- Nutrition
- Falls prevention
- Chronic disease prevention and management
- Diabetes prevention
We also have programs that assist people with disabilities and provide
bilingual programs to help the monolingual Spanish speaking population.
All programs offered by the Boulder County Area Agency on Aging are offered
on a donation basis and there is never a charge.
Because many of the health issues we support require ongoing monitoring,
Boulder Community Health (BCH) clinics have found it helpful to refer
their patients to our classes. We regularly send upcoming class information
to the care coordinators and Diabetes Education Program Coordinator so
that they can share these important programs with their patients.
We especially value our relationship with the BCH Therapy Department and
the Trauma Outreach and Injury Prevention Coordinator. They are members
of our Boulder County Partners for Falls Prevention and sponsor a half-day
event each year as part of Falls Prevention Week. In addition, the Outreach
Coordinator is a trained leader for our A Matter of Balance and Walk with
Ease programs.
Our goal is to help people in Boulder County stay informed, educated and
supported in their aging journey.
Boulder County Area Agency on Aging Services
Aging and Disability Resources (ADRC): We inform, refer and assist older adults, caregivers and people with disabilities
to services and resources in Boulder County, in partnership with local
senior services. For more info on ADRC, please contact us at 303-441-1617 or
www.bouldercountyhelp.org.
Veterans Services: We provide support and claims assistance for veterans.
Healthy Aging: We offer community wellness classes, such as the Diabetes Prevention Program,
Chronic Disease Management Program, Matter of Balance, and Walk with Ease.
We also provide community nutrition education and individual nutrition
counseling services with Registered Dietitian Nutritionists. We fund and
operate community lunch programs throughout the county. For more info
on Healthy Aging, please contact us at 303-441-4583 or
infoHealthyAging@bouldercounty.org.
Medicare Counseling: We provide monthly Medicare Basics classes education and individual guidance
sessions regarding enrollment and benefits for Medicare beneficiaries
of any age.
Caregiver programs: We offer a variety of services for family caregivers, which include information,
training, education, special events and information. Programs are offered
to caregivers of any age who assist a person age 60 or older (or of any
age if the person has dementia). We publish a free
Care Connections newsletter and provide access to respite assistance and volunteer support
for family caregivers
Elder Rights and Long-Term Care Ombudsman: We protect the rights of elders to live safely, with dignity and to be
free from abuse, neglect or financial exploitation.
LGBT Outreach and Project Visibility: We provide support and activities for LGBT older adults as well as training
for professionals working with LGBT older adults with our Project Visibility
training program.
Additional Resources
Boulder County Area Agency on Aging: 303-441-3570 and
www.bouldercountyaging.org.
Wellness and Nutrition services information:
www.healthyagingprogram.org.