Care N’ Community to Engage Local Organizations and Resources Around the Belief That “Our Elders are a Shared Responsibility of a Community”

(FORT WORTH, Texas – June 19, 2017) — Care N’ Care announced today the launch of a new community outreach initiative designed to engage local-area seniors in programs and activities that increase independence, reduce isolation and encourage healthy living.

The new grassroots effort, appropriately called Care N’ Community, is intended to work hand-in-hand with local community partners to create an intergenerational support system that promotes well-being, empowerment and independence for safe and vibrant aging. In doing so Care N’ Care is focusing on the link between strong communities, senior involvement and population health in ways that encourage local communities to become more involved and innovative in their efforts to serve local seniors.

“Quality of life as we age can often be defined by the strength of the community in which we live,” said Kelli Blackwelder, Care N’ Care’s community engagement manager and one of the key architects of Care N’ Community. “This new program is built around the core beliefs that we are not meant to grow old alone, that we deserve to age in place in our own homes, and that our elders are a shared responsibility of a community.”

Blackwelder explains that components of the Care N’ Community program will differ from location to location depending on community needs and potential partners, such as local senior centers, senior clubs, faith-based organizations and government agencies. Some programs may stress physical activity, such as water aerobics or tai chi in the park; some may be strictly social, such as adult coloring classes or organized lunch groups; and some may be educational, such as safety tips from local police or healthcare tips from local doctors and nurses.

“Our vision is for Care N’ Community to become a one-stop shop for reliable service referrals, assistance and social opportunities,” says Blackwelder. “Toward that end we are building a massive database of local senior-related services in hopes that through one call to a Care N’ Care community engagement concierge we can link seniors with resources they need and programs they seek to stay active and engaged as they age. These could include everything from organized community activities to providing transportation to a doctor’s appointment to having someone come to their home to help with shopping or basic daily-living tasks.”

The need for such engagement has never been greater. Presently 10,000 baby boomers are turning 65 every day, and it is expected to remain that way until 2029. For many of these seniors, particularly those 85 and older, isolation and loneliness is a serious concern that directly effect health status. As such, Care N’ Community has the potential to grow and strengthen exponentially over the coming years as the population of seniors increases.

Care N’ Care is a local Medicare Advantage health plan providing North Texas Medicare beneficiaries in Tarrant, Johnson, Dallas, Collin, Denton, Rockwall and parts of Parker County affordable alternatives that improve and simplify Medicare coverage. With both PPO and HMO health plans, Care N’ Care offers all of the traditional benefits included in original Medicare plus additional benefits and services, including a personal Customer Experience Team to serve as the single point of contact and trusted partner throughout the members’ healthcare experience. For more information about Care N’ Care and its Medicare Advantage health plans, call 877-665-2622 or visit cnchealthplan.com.

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