NORWICH—To connect families and their older loved ones with resources and support systems to achieve the best quality of life, Backus Hospital officially opened the Hartford HealthCare Center for Healthy Aging with a ribbon-cutting on August 14. The office is located on the entry level of the hospital, located at 326 Washington Street in Norwich.
This new location is one of 11 locations for Hartford HealthCare Center for Healthy Aging, which was established in 2004.
Kristine Johnson, resource coordinator at the Backus Hospital office, works with older adults and families in person, by phone or in their own home to connect them with the appropriate senior services and resources. Free comprehensive assessments can determine the appropriate level and type of care to best support the individual, caregivers and family members, even those who live far away. Resources may include in-home care, medical alert technology, home modifications, state programs and veterans services.
“The opening of these centers across the state truly demonstrates the collaboration between our hospitals, our health system and all of our community partners,” said Donna Handley, President of Hartford HealthCare’s East Region which includes Backus and Windham hospitals. “Together we’re working to identify the health and social needs of our communities while leveraging our partnerships to ensure our patients and their families get the care and the services they need.”
Rita Parisi, Senior Vice President of the Hartford HealthCare Community Network which includes the Hartford HealthCare Rehabilitation Network, Hartford HealthCare at Home, Hartford HealthCare Independence at Home and Hartford HealthCare Senior Services said the centers have become vital to the communities they serve.
“This free resource really allows us to understand what the needs are in the communities we serve. Not only do the centers assess medical and social needs, we are able to provide important education for our patients, families and caregivers. This year the centers offered 375 education programs with more than 6,500 people attending. We also provided 1,580 assessments in people’s home to provide guidance and information on staying independent in the home,” said Parisi.
As life expectancy increases, greater numbers of individuals need new services and resources to help them age well. The U.S. Census Bureau projects that by 2060, 92 million Americans will be 65 or older.