Monroe County is an Age-Friendly Community, according to AARP. The designation was made in May 2024 and highlights how the county is working to make the county more accessible and inclusive for people of all ages.
There are three characteristics to ensuring a town, city, or county is considered an Age-Friendly Communities:
- Age is not a significant barrier to maintaining lifelong interests and activities
- Older adults have opportunities to develop new sources of fulfillment and engagement
- Supports and accommodations are in place so people with disabilities have basic health and social needs met
With approximately 25 percent of all residents in Monroe County being age 60 or older, dozens of local organizations and businesses are collaborating on initiatives to make sure Monroe County meets the characteristics of an Age-Friendly Community.
Working with the Monroe County Aging Alliance
More than 30 organizations, businesses and local government agencies – including ElderONE – are working together under the umbrella initiative Monroe County Aging Alliance (MCAA) to advance an agenda that promotes the value and well-being of older people in our community.
Together with several other agencies, ElderONE was able to help build MyWayFinder – a resource directory designed to connect people in need with services or providers that can help meet their needs.
“Our efforts to collaborate with the Monroe County Aging Alliance echo our core mission to offer seniors in Monroe County a safe, convenient alternative to nursing home placement through a comprehensive set of preventive, primary, acute, and long-term care services,” said Kathy Ralston, director of business development at ElderONE with Rochester Regional Health.
How ElderONE and Rochester Regional Health help seniors
As a Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE), ElderONE offers the entire continuum of medical care and support services to seniors with chronic care needs, including medical care, nursing care, personal care, medication management, adult day care, transportation, social work, recreation, physical, occupational, and speech rehabilitation services.
As the only PACE program in the greater Rochester area, nearly 750 patients across Monroe, Ontario and Wayne Counties are enrolled in ElderONE. More than 265 team members support the PACE Program at four PACE Centers across Monroe and Wayne Counties.
“These critical services allow seniors to live at home for as long as possible,” Ralston said. “Empowering each person to live with independence and dignity is vital to our work through ElderONE.”
Rochester Regional Health provides exceptional care to older adults with a commitment to helping every person remain healthy, active, and independent - at every age. In addition to ElderONE, we offer a wide range of senior care programs and services, including geriatric medicine, home care & hospice, skilled nursing facilities, and independent senior housing. All Rochester Regional Health hospitals and Long Term Care facilities are also designated as "Age-Friendly Health Systems.”
Our highly specialized team at the Memory Center at Unity provides comprehensive care for older adults with neurodegenerative conditions affecting their memory or thinking skills, and our nationally recognized Geriatric Surgical Program focuses on the unique physiological, social, and treatment goals of our older surgical patients.
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