The San Diego Foundation will Grant $328,000 to Increase Services for Older Adults
Jan
26
Written by:
1/26/2011 8:15 AM
Funded by the Del Mar Healthcare Fund
Jan. 26, 2011 - The San Diego Foundation will award $328,000 to six grantees on Thursday, February 3. This philanthropic support of our county’s aging adults, which is made possible through the Del Mar Healthcare Fund held at The Foundation, will increase case management and outreach services as well as create a GIS-mapping tool for agencies that serve older adults. These grants are the first in a newly established program, Our Aging Society, within The Foundation’s Health & Human Services program.
Jewish Family Service of San Diego will receive a $50,000 grant while Senior Community
Centers of San Diego, Bayside Community Center, ElderHelp of San Diego, and Mountain
Health & Community Services will each receive $62,000. San Diego State University will
receive $28,000 to develop a GIS-based map that will enable agencies to understand the
demographics in their service areas and reach out to older adults in areas not currently
served by any agency. The remaining $2,000 will facilitate quarterly meetings and other
support to help the grantee cohort work together and learn from one another.
Supporting outreach and case management services is a key strategy in reducing isolation
amongst older adults, which has been shown to lead to negative outcomes such as
depression, medication mismanagement, illegal drug use, falls and hospital or nursing home
admissions. Last year, 3,627 per 100,000 San Diego County older adults were discharged
from an emergency room due to a fall, according to the San Diego County Senior Health
Report produced by the County Health and Human Services Agency.
Del Mar Healthcare, Inc. is a nonprofit corporation whose charitable purpose is to meet the
housing, health and financial security needs of older adults. Since 1996, the organization has
provided older adults with housing and healthcare services through ownership of facilities
and through its affiliated companies.
“Del Mar Healthcare is committed to improving the well-being of older adults in the
communities we serve. I was very pleased with The Foundation’s ability to research the
greatest needs in the community and help us invest our funds in a way that would make the
biggest impact,” said Don Ambrose who is the fund advisor.
In June 2010, Del Mar Healthcare established a donor-advised fund at The San Diego
Foundation and engaged the Health & Human Services program staff to facilitate its
grantmaking endeavor. An advisory committee of sector experts researched the issues
facing older adults and developed strategies to address leading causes of concern.
The advisory committee members included Dr. Nora Faine of Sharp Health Plan; Amy
Okamura, San Diego State University School of Social Work (retired); Dr. Amethyst Cureg,
County Health and Human Services Agency; Ellen Schmeding, Deputy Director of the
Department of Aging and Independent Services for the County Health and Human Services
Agency; Anahid Brakke of Heed Consulting; and Janie DeCelles, long-term care specialist.
“While several government and nonprofit agencies offer programs serving our aging
society, many eligible adults lack access to these benefits,” said Bob Kelly, president and
CEO of The San Diego Foundation. “This fund provides that access so our older adults can
enjoy the health, safety, and well-being that all San Diegans deserve.”
For more information on the Aging Society Initiative, contact Robyn Chatten at
robyn@sdfoundation.org.
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