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INVESTIGATOR: Crenshaw, K.

PERFORMING INSTITUTION:
ALABAMA A&M UNIVERSITY
4900 MERIDIAN STREET
NORMAL, ALABAMA 35762

SUCCESSFUL AGING INITIATIVE: COMMUNITY BASED EDUCATION TO PROMOTE HEALTH AND ASSET MANAGEMENT FOR ALABAMA`S OLDER ADULTS

NON-TECHNICAL SUMMARY: This project proposes to expand the capabilities and capacity of the Alabama Cooperative Extension System's Urban Affairs and New Nontraditional Programs unit's (UANNP) ongoing plan of work for the Successful Aging Initiative (SAI)to expand its reach within Alabama's underserved and limited-resource elderly audiences in urban and rural populations. Building and expanding capacity in this area addresses Extension application focus on financial management and health care strategies for the target audience. It is the goal of UANNP to establish a Lifelong Learning Institute designed to: 1) to develop and conduct community-based educational programs and workshops from which estate plans are developed to manage one's financial and healthcare outcomes within the target audience; 2) to provide train-the-trainer curriculums targeting UANNP agents, older adult service providers, caregivers, social work students (AAMU geriatric social worker department), geriatric care managers, religion/civic leaders, (hereinafter collectively referred to as "trainees") how to best navigate the barrage of available new health and social services for this clientele; and, 3) to create a state-of-the-art, interactive financial management website with an emphasis on estate planning for an innovative, user-friendly extension outreach delivery system. In 2000, UANNP launched a comprehensive legal education program, LegalEASE, from which the Initiative was developed. The Initiative represents a partnership between UANNP and the Alabama's Bureau of Geriatric Psychiatry (Bureau). The partnership's purpose is to provide valuable skills and knowledge to the fastest growing segment of our population, older adults. The Initiative offers workshops/conferences, educational curriculums and trainings on current issues relevant to law & aging (estate planning/Elder Law), health & aging (with an emphasis in dementia education and associated health), and finance & aging. Recognizing a deficiency in meeting the needs of underserved, limited resource segments of the elderly population, this Initiative focuses directly on this clientele. Our Initiative partner, the Bureau, was established by the Alabama Department of Mental Health and Mental retardation; and, strives to develop a continuum of care for elderly mentally ill patients and behaviorally disturbed dementia victims. The Bureau provides mental health services to people over 65, offering a mix of acute care, long-term care and community-based services including educational support to community providers and university educational/training programs. The Alabama legislature through its Dementia Education and Training Act (DETA) works to help Alabamians understand dementia-related diseases and connects all citizens with resources in their communities that can support in the education and care of an Alzheimer's or other dementia-related patient.

OBJECTIVES: This project proposes to expand the capabilities and capacity of the Alabama Cooperative Extension System's Urban Affairs and New Nontraditional Programs unit's (UANNP) ongoing plan of work for the Successful Aging Initiative (SAI)at Alabama A&M University. SAI seeks to increase its capacity and quality of extension educational programs to this clientele. The primary goal of this project is to establish an "Institute" designed to expand the program delivery systems and technological strategies of UANNP to provide interactive, dynamic programs and training to promote health and asset management for this clientele. The specific objectives are to: a. Develop and structure the Institute such that our target clientele gains and utilizes new knowledge about the role estate planning plays in health and asset management; b. Create and implement community-based educational programs, workshops and activities in 7 urban and 5 rural (Black Belt, Alabama) counties statewide such that 20 percent of target audience will reports greater knowledge and behavior change by the end of year two; c. Provide certifying train-the-trainer curriculums to a minimum of 30 trainees by year two such that certified trainees will provide trainings and/or conduct programs in their respective communities to a minimum of 3,000 target clientele by end of year two; and, d. Create a user friendly, state-of-the-art financial/resource management website with a baseline user rate of 200 weekly and increasing by 10 percent annually. Products, Results and Measurable Outcomes: The following results and measurable outcomes are expected to have occurred by the end of this project: Development of Institute; Equip a cadre of trainees to deliver the Institute curriculums, training or programmatic activities in the twelve piloted counties; The Institute will identify and train a minimum of 30 trainees by year two. To assess the effectiveness of the Seniors CAN program, participants complete three self-rating scales with baseline measured at the first class and post- intervention at the last class: The Mastery Scale, Revised UCLA Loneliness Scale, and Perceived Stress Scale; Over 4,500 participants who attend one of the seven (7) currently scheduled annual Initiatives or activities will complete a pre- and post- assessment; Data will be used to fully define the scope of need in each community for programming and targeted educational activities and resources; Clientele who complete the UANNP publication, Estate Planning Basics, A Guide to Life Organization create a $3,500 direct savings; The project estimates 300 completed in year two with a $1,050,000 savings statewide; Clientele who execute a free will with their county's Area Agency on Aging experience an average savings of $350; The project estimates 50 completed in year one with a direct savings of $17,500, and a preventative savings of $60,000 ($1,200 x 50 = $60,000 or Average cost to probate an intestate (die without will) estate in Alabama x Clientele participants);Clientele who execute an Advance Directive, A Gift to Your Family, a free publication issued by the Alabama State Bar.