Welcome to NCECE!

Every August, National Health Center Week celebrates the missions and accomplishments of America’s health centers. This year's theme, The Roadmap to a Stronger America, is a virtual road trip across America, highlighting the achievements of community health centers in every state and territory. This initiative inspired our Center to use our newsletters to spotlight the amazing work health centers do to promote healthy aging in their communities. Keeping with the theme of National Health Center Week, let’s take our own road trip (through New England this time!) to see some great examples of age-friendly programs and services!

We’ll begin at the Whittier Street Health Center, located in Roxbury, Massachusetts. Whitter offers comprehensive, innovative health care and provides targeted outreach and education to their patients. “By offering comprehensive and integrated health care services to our patients in our clinics, mobile health programming, and community outreach, we improve access to culturally appropriate and high-quality services that are designed to meet their health care and social support needs as efficiently and seamlessly as possible,” said Frederica Williams, President and Chief Executive Officer. “We launched our geriatric program to serve our diverse seniors in 2004, and the program promotes healthy living and disease management to help our patients and community residents remain physically and mentally healthy, independent, and socially active, as they grow older. Program activities focus on holistic wellness and education, fitness, and nutrition education,” continued Williams. Programs like Whittier’s Club 1290, a peer-led older adult group conducted on-site at the health center, has members ranging in age from 60 to 97. The group aims to minimize experiences of loneliness, depression, boredom, and isolation in this population. One member reflected, "For me, Club 1290 is a life-changing impact. It gives me something to look forward to. It gives me a reason to feel visible and worth something of value. It allows me to be 100% me completely. I wish we could meet more often. Club 1290 allows me to converse and communicate with people my own age. I can meet new people and make new associates and friends. I need this to live. It makes my life more complete." 

Next on our virtual health center tour is NEW Health, located in Boston, Massachusetts. Since early 2022, NEW Health’s Food Insecurity Program delivers monthly bags of fresh produce directly to the doorsteps of over 20 elder residents in the North End. These produce distributions have effectively reduced the prevalence of food insecurity in the neighborhood and have helped dozens of residents every month. “The NEW Health Food Insecurity Program stepped up time and time again over the course of the COVID-19 pandemic. Unfortunately, the issue of food insecurity has only grown since and one of the groups heavily impacted are older adults in our neighborhood, especially because so many are homebound,” said Daniel Coakley, NEW Health Public Affairs Coordinator. “We started the Monthly Produce Distributions to reduce as many barriers to healthy food as possible. It is truly rewarding to be giving back and we hope that we can just keep growing this effort as long as it’s needed,” continued Coakley. NEW Health also collaborates with local partner, Action for Boston Community Development (ABCD), to offer health education classes for older adults in the North End. The classes focus on several health topics such as nutrition, stroke awareness, blood pressure, and oral health. Participants are also treated to a free lunch by ABCD while they learn about the different topics.

On our last stop, we’ll visit the Cornell Scott-Hill Health Center, the first community health center established in Connecticut, with a long history of serving New Haven neighborhoods, which are among the most disadvantaged in Connecticut. The Center was founded in 1968 and serves nearly 53,000 patients. Their mission is to measurably improve the health and well-being of the communities they serve by providing excellent and compassionate care that is accessible to all. Since its opening, the Center has opened numerous new care sites and continually expands services in order to meet the needs of their patients. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Michael Taylor, Chief Executive Officer, set out to curate “art as a vessel to health and well-being for the patient and staff community of the Health Center.” Through this action, fourteen Connecticut artists were selected to participate in the “HeART of Healing” Art Initiative. They were commissioned to create and/or provide works of art that are “soothing, engaging, and that celebrate the communities of service.” These works on display now serve as a place to gather and engage patients, particularly their older adult patients, many of whom were socially isolated and experiencing loneliness, through community outreach events. “During COVID we were inspired to support older adults and others through initiating community testing and vaccinations in the midst of bringing light and comfort through our HeART of Healing Art Initiative,” said Carlah Esdaile-Bragg, Director, Marketing and Communications. 

Like hundreds of others, each of these health centers has met their community’s need beyond medical care, serving their patients with a holistic approach to care and promoting initiatives that specifically benefit them as they age. We applaud their outstanding commitment to their communities and look forward to highlighting more health centers going forward!

National Immunization Awareness Month (NIAM), held every August, is an observance that emphasizes the importance of vaccination for people of all ages. Vaccination is an effective and safe way to save lives through disease protection and prevention. Health centers play a major role in recommending and administering vaccines, using evidence-based strategies and available resources to encourage routine vaccinations, and discussing with patients why being up to date on vaccinations is critical for staying healthy. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) Recommended Adult Immunization Schedule is an important guide for health centers to use for recommending vaccines for adults aged 65 and older, in addition to other resources. Learn ways to support a culture of vaccination at your health center and reinforce confidence in adhering to a vaccination schedule, and visit the Gerontological Society of America for more information on aging and immunity for your patients.