Health
Independent and Active
More senior citizens stay active and independent in our community due to efforts of your local United Way and its partners.
United Way of Tucson and Southern Arizona recognizes the importance of supporting both self-sufficient and dependent seniors. The United Way Supporting Seniors Impact Council sponsors many core programs that help seniors lead active, productive lives.
Your local United Way also provides family caregivers of dependent elderly with the help they need to balance work, family and caregiving responsibilities. The strategy includes linking caregivers to support services through doctors, faith-based and neighborhood leaders. Employers are also informed about how they can provide resources in the workplace for caregivers. More than 9,000 family caregivers have received a copy of United Way’s free manual printed in English and Spanish titled, “How to Be a Resilient Caregiver.”
United Way supports programs that provide meaningful volunteer opportunities for retirees that enable them to use their time and experience to give back to the community. Hundreds of volunteers serve as teachers, mentors, tutors, advisors and companions to others. Additionally, more than 80 local neighborhoods and congregations have initiated volunteer caregiving programs for the elderly. More than 100 community and church volunteers are trained as ambassadors to seniors and caregivers in over 200 sites throughout Pima County.
United Way of Tucson and Southern Arizona was one of the few organizations selected nationally to participate in two Compassion Capital Fund (CCF) projects. Over the past five years, the CCF projects, funded by the White House Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives, has allowed United Way to provide free training, technical assistance and more than $1.3 million in grants to organizations serving seniors. The primary objective of this work is to enhance the capacity of faith-based and community organizations caring for the elderly.
Oral Health is a major issue for our seniors. United Way has made it possible to complete many senior oral health projects including distributing dental care products to seniors and providing oral health education workshops in the community.
Maintaining adequate nutrition on a limited income is often hard to do. Many retirees are not aware that they might be eligible to participate in the federal Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program (formerly known as the Food Stamp Program). Others find it difficult to navigate the application process. Your local United Way was selected to work with Arizona government agencies to streamline the application process statewide and work with local faith based and community organizations to assist eligible individuals in applying for this benefit in their own neighborhood.
Financial exploitation is the most predominant form of elder abuse in our community and United Way is working to prevent it. Staff members have created an on-line interactive training program and educational materials for employees of financial institutions to help them spot potential abuse situations and protect the assets of their customers. Brochures have also been created for senior citizens and family caregivers of the elderly that describe how to avoid the devastating consequences of fraud, scams and other forms of financial exploitation. This project was completed in collaboration with law enforcement, the AZ Attorney General’s Office and Adult Protective Services.
Recommended Web Links
- Web based Training - Financial Exploitation Prevention Training for Financial Institutions - NEW!
- Administration on Aging
- Arizona Long Term Care System (ALTCS)
- American Society on Aging
- Caregiving
- National Alliance for Caregiving
- Caregiver Consortium
- Civic Ventures
- Generations Together
- Medicare
- Pima Council on Aging
- Social Security Administration
Contact
For more information about keeping Seniors Independant and Active, please contact:
Sharon Gartner
Director, Supporting Seniors
United Way of Tucson and Southern Arizona
330 N. Commerce Park Loop, Suite 200
Tucson, AZ 85745
520.903.9000 ext. 420
sgartner@unitedwaytucson.org
A Success Story
Arizona's Children Association DBA Las Familias/Children's Treatment
An eight-year-old girl was referred to us because her father had sexually abused her since she was two years old. When the girl came in for her intake appointment, she stood in the parking lot in the rain and refused to come into the agency. When she finally came inside, she refused to speak to her therapist...