Health is an important factor to consider when planning for the long-term success of the region. Healthy community design is associated with economic success, quality of life and community attractiveness for new employers and residents. Centralina has designed several evidence-based health programs to create opportunities for improved wellness, more physical activity and greater access to healthy foods.
Centralina is also an advocate for the more than two million older adults, ages 65+, residing in our region. Through planning, strategy development, coordination and service delivery, we provide a wide range of long-term services to support older adults and positively impact their social determinants of health.
The Dementia Friendly Charlotte Mecklenburg (DFCM) initiative is led by Centralina to help educate and equip aging service professionals with the knowledge and skillset to support older adults. DFCM is part of a national network that helps communities by offering technical assistance, including a community toolkit, sector specific guidance and best practices synthesized from across the world.
This conference is an annual opportunity for those working at the intersection of planning and public health to gather and learn how best to partner to create healthy communities. Geared toward planners, public health officials and park and recreation professionals, this event covers a broad range of topics important to building healthy communities.
Centralina works with neighborhood and business services to expand Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program and other food assistance programs to local farmers’ markets.
Every year Centralina organizes a networking and education opportunity that attracts around 400 professionals from throughout the state who want to learn about the latest older adult initiatives, best practices, innovative products and services.
Centralina helps to coordinate transportation systems and enhance mobility options for older and disabled adults within our nine-county region.
Learn more by visiting the Centralina Mobility Management website.
We offer educational and training opportunities to businesses, interested members of the community and health care professionals to inform and prepare them on how to support and interact with older adults. Our team is comprised of subject matter experts in a wide variety of topics and can design workshops to meet your specific needs. Our training topics include:
Learn more by visiting the Centralina Area Agency on Aging website.
Trails, greenways and parks provide connections that tie communities together, link park and recreation opportunities and serve as transportation routes. Centralina helps communities build these systems by offering design guidelines and recommendations that can be incorporated into community plans.
We offer a variety of evidence-based health programs that have been proven to create positive health impacts for participants. Programs include Living Healthy with Diabetes, Chronic Pain in the Workplace, Building Better Caregivers and a Matter of Balance.
Learn more by visiting the Centralina Area Agency on Aging website.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), older unvaccinated adults are more likely to be hospitalized or die from COVID-19. It is essential that we supply preventive guidance to protect these older adults from severe illness and death. To reduce the spread of the COVID-19 in our region, Centralina Area Agency on Aging has been working diligently to provide homebound...
The ombudsman program advocates for the resident who call our adult care homes and nursing homes their homes. We work to resolve issues of concern and advocate to protect the rights of those living in long-term care facilities. We also provide technical assistance to residents, the public and facilities.
A community that is pedestrian friendly benefits everyone. And when sidewalks, crosswalks and transportation infrastructure are missing or in need of repair, the result is a lower standard of living for people who depend on these facilities for mobility. Pedestrian infrastructure is a key component in supporting community connections and the health of residents and visitors. Aging adults and...
Concord Avenue is one of the main gateways into the City of Monroe, Union County. In 2015, City officials created the Concord Ave Master Plan with the purpose of having a road map with a vision for economic, housing and community revitalization along this corridor, including the enhancement of connectivity to services and facilities for both residents and visitors.
Older adults and caregivers of older adults have been disproportionately impacted by the effects of COVID-19. In an effort to remain safely distanced from others, caregivers and their loved ones have experienced social isolation, food insecurity and financial insecurity. And as they spent more time confined at home, they also became more aware of safety issues in their homes. To help address...
This year our region lost a tremendous volunteer who served as a dedicated volunteer with Centralina Area Agency on Aging for more than 11 years. Shirley Wiggins was the recipient of the Centralina Region of Excellence Aging in Action award for her dedicated advocacy work for seniors living in the Gaston County area.
Part of Centralina’s 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...
In 2016, Centralina’s Family Caregiver Program Coordinator Sara Maloney and Ashley Stevens aka “The Dementia Guru” convened community stakeholders to start the area’s very own chapter of Dementia Friendly America. With help from Centralina Area Agency on Aging, UNC Charlotte’s Gerontology Program and members from local government aging programs, the volunteer-based organization became known as...