Community ‘EngAGE’ment: Henrico agency works to support county's elderly community

Eight years after its inception, the Henrico Advocate for the Aging’s Office continues to provide resources to support the elderly community and their caregivers in Henrico County.

Initiated in 2015, the EngAGE program is designed to boost community outreach and wellness with seniors, their families, and caregivers. As explained on the Henrico County government website, the program does this by assisting caregivers by providing information and referral services.

From organizing local events or communicating with other local agencies, the Advocate for the Aging’s Office focuses on raising awareness about aging services available to the community alongside communicating the urgent needs of the aging population to government agencies.

“One of the things that we've worked to do is try to decrease 911 utilization by providing resources and education to community members,” said Ashlee Giles, the current Henrico Advocate for the Aging.

Recognizing the need to educate the community on elderly safety and healthcare, Giles’ role is to share the resources on various platforms: social media, newsletters, TV channels (HCTV), and even home visits.

From a simplified website highlighting frequently asked questions to a quarterly newsletter that highlights different programs on the season, her goal is to make these resources as accessible as possible.

“When we see those trends, we want to make sure that we are sharing the information with as many people as we can,” Giles said.

Apart from safety issues, other popular reasons for calling include fear of feelings of isolation, food insecurity, and housing. For these concerns, Giles typically refers the caller to their community partners, working closely with their local Area Agencies on Aging. The Area Agency on Aging that covers Henrico County is called Senior Connections.

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Founded 50 years ago, Senior Connections is a non-profit organization that provides support to older adults, persons with disabilities, and caregivers. It provides resources that tackle senior isolation and food insecurity.

“The biggest [program] that's kind of like a poster child for us is our friendship cafes. We operate roughly 20 Friendship cafes in central Virginia,” said Chris Leighten, the community outreach spokesperson. According to Leighten, these cafes are neighborhood gathering places for older adults that target the reduction of social isolation by keeping them well-engaged in the local community.

Another popular program highlighted by EngAGE within Senior Connections is the Meals on Wheels program. Partnering with FeedMore, a hunger-relief organization, they provide home-delivered meals to residents of Central Virginia who are unable to leave their homes due to some incapacity.

“We also have transportation programs where we can help transport people to things like doctor's appointments,” said Leighten, describing another of the resources provided by the organization.

Despite only taking up the role as the Advocate for the Aging this April, Giles has pushed to advocate for senior safety and education by putting up programs like the fall prevention workshop and Senior Safety Day. Through these programs, she helped participants develop strategies to ensure their homes were safe, locate potential risk elements, and help develop healthy nutrition practices. Through these programs and the positive responses that people have walked away with, she has managed to get familiar with the local community of seniors, feeling a sense of empowerment and gratitude to be put in her position.

“I truly love getting to go out and support people in their home, getting to sit down with a senior and maybe a caregiver and help them process kind of what are their needs, and how can we meet those needs,” said Giles.

Giles’ office has highlighted a few spotlight events to look out for in Henrico County. The Winter Emergency Preparedness event, hosted alongside Henrico’s emergency management services, the Bureau of Insurance, the local Area Agency on Aging, and Dominion Energy will be held Jan. 10 at Tuckahoe Library to share ways to maintain health and safety during the winter season.

Another highlight event is Spread The Love: Valentine’s Day Card Event. Through this event, EngAGE requests that the Henrico community make Valentine's Day cards to deliver to seniors who are in nursing facilities or assisted living facilities. Drop-offs are available in the Eastern Henrico Recreation Center, the Public Safety Building Lobby, and the Western Government Center Lobby on weekdays until Feb. 2