Project Grant 21SCDAZ001

PIMA COUNCIL ON AGING (PCOA) REQUESTS 37 VSYS (38,628 HOURS) PER YEAR FOR THE SENIOR COMPANION PROGRAM (SCP) SERVING PIMA COUNTY, ARIZONA. WE REQUEST $238,264 IN FEDERAL FUNDS, WHICH WILL BE SUPPLEMENTED BY AT LEAST $28,500 IN NON-FEDERAL RESOURCES. THIS PROJECT WILL ADDRESS THE INDEPENDENT LIVING AND RESPITE FOR CAREGIVERS SERVICE CATEGORIES. AS A REPLACEMENT GRANTEE, PIMA COUNCIL ON AGING PROPOSES TO HONOR THE FUNDAMENTAL PROGRAM MODEL THAT HAS ASSISTED SO MANY OLDER PEOPLE IN OUR COMMUNITY SINCE 2001, WHILE INCORPORATING ELEMENTS TO MAXIMIZE LIMITED RESOURCES AND FOCUS ON THE GREATEST NEEDS OF PIMA COUNTY'S OLDER ADULTS. THROUGH SCP, WE WILL PROVIDE COMPANIONSHIP AND IN-HOME ASSISTANCE WITH DAILY LIVING TO HELP HOME-BOUND OLDER ADULTS MAINTAIN THE HIGHEST LEVEL OF INDEPENDENCE POSSIBLE WHILE LIVING IN THEIR OWN HOMES. RESPITE SERVICES PROVIDED BY SENIOR COMPANIONS WILL HELP CAREGIVERS TAKE PERSONAL TIME TO ATTEND TO THEIR OWN NEEDS AND AVOID BURNOUT. RESEARCH SHOWS THAT RESPITE CARE REDUCES ABUSE AND NEGLECT AND IMPROVES OVERALL QUALITY OF CARE, AND EXTENDS THE TIME OLDER ADULTS CAN LIVE IN THEIR HOME OF CHOICE. BASED ON LONGSTANDING RESULTS FROM THE SCP IN PIMA COUNTY, WE ANTICIPATE THE FOLLOWING PROJECT OUTCOMES: OUTCOME 1: 80% OF OLDER ADULTS WE SERVE WILL REMAIN LIVING INDEPENDENTLY, OUT OF INSTITUTIONALIZED CARE; AND OUTCOME 2: 80% OF CAREGIVERS WILL BE ABLE TO CONTINUE IN-HOME CARE FOR OUR OLDER CLIENTS AS A RESULT OF RECEIVING RESPITE SERVICES.