The COVID-19 pandemic affected older adults and individuals with disabilities, especially more disproportionately than other demographic groups. As a result, many agencies and organizations that provide support reduced or curtailed their services in order to protect employees and volunteers from possible exposure to COVID-19 and to prevent the spread of the illness to individuals they served.
Part of Centralinaâs mission is to support older adults and those with disabilities, including dementia. One way we fulfill this mission is by leading an initiative called Dementia Friendly Charlotte Mecklenburg (DFCM) that seeks to increase awareness and enhance the lives of people living with dementia and those who care for them.
Through our dementia education sessions, Centralina has created over 500 Dementia Friends in the last two years. Dementia Friends are ambassadors that pledge to teach their communities about this illness, how to interact/communicate with those individuals and how to be a good community partner. In addition to education, we can also certify communities and businesses as âdementia friendlyâ and are currently in the pilot stages of certifying our first business. For more information on becoming a dementia friendly community or a Dementia Friend, contact the Centralina Area Agency on Aging.
Abuse and neglect of older persons is grossly under-reported and under-recognized. Estimates reveal that only one out of every twenty-three cases of mistreatment is reported to be investigated. Public education campaigns are vital for informing communities about elder abuse, which is why the International Network for the Prevention of Elder Abuse promotes the 7th Annual World Elder Abuse Awareness Day (WEAAD).
In March 2021, the U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA) approved the Centralina Economic Development District (EDD) Disaster Relief Coordinator Grant to support increasing capacity and coordinating inter-local resources to enhance economic resiliency and disaster response systems. The EDA and the Centralina EDD recognize that the increased frequency of natural hazard events, the COVID-19 pandemic and the growing need for immediate recovery and resilience, requires regional collaboration to strengthen response and recovery efforts. The project supports regional emergency management capacity, to meet and plan for recovery, response and resiliency efforts.
May is Older Americansâ Monthâa time to celebrate Communities of Strength. In 1963, President John F. Kennedy designated May as Senior Citizensâ Month, and it eventually became known as Older Americansâ Month. At that time, there were only 17 million Americans age 65 or older. About a third of those older adults lived in poverty, and there were few programs to meet their needs.
On Monday, May 10, the last day of the statutory limit, the U.S. Department of the Treasury issued its long-awaited guidance and allocations distributing $65.1 billion each to cities and counties of all sizes.
The Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Program (SLFRP) provides substantial flexibility for each government to meet local needs â including support for households, small businesses, impacted industries, essential workers, and the communities hardest hit by the crisis. These funds can also be used to make necessary investments in water, sewer and broadband infrastructure.
According to the North Carolina Medical Journal, an estimated 21.4% of adults aged 65 years or older live with diabetes. Type 2 diabetes is the most common form of diabetes. Per the CDCâs National Diabetes Statistics Report-2020, North Carolina is ranked 7th in the nation for diabetes related deaths. Diabetes is a complex condition requiring the person living with it to make ongoing decisions throughout the day to maintain their blood sugar levels to control short-term and long-term complications from the disease.
In the latest CONNECT Beyond advisory committee meeting, held on April 28, seasoned community builders and transportation professionals shared their vision for how a holistic and integrated transportation system can improve the lives of everyone in the Centralina region.
After over ten years of dedicated service to our region and a 40+ year career in the Carolinas, Michael (Mike) Manis will be retiring from his position at Centralina Regional Council effective May 31, 2021. An expert economic developer and devoted public servant, Mike led the Community Economic Development Department and served as the President/COO of the Centralina Economic Development District (CEDD), a 501c3 affiliated organization of the Council. During his decade of service Mike made significant contributions to shaping the regionâs economic development strategy and supporting Centralinaâs local government members secure resources and technical assistance for transformational projects in their communities.
CONNECT Our Future was an initiative that united residents, businesses, educators, elected officials, non-profit organizations and other interest groups around a common desire for more cooperation in the region and the need to work together to fulfill shared goals.