The CHCA Aging Initiative goals are to provide quality education and technical assistance to improve services for elders at the clinic level, increase the number of seniors served in the CHC clinics, and assist in improving the continuum of care for elderly Arkansans. The activities currently underway include:

Arkansas Geriatrics Education Mentors and Scholars Training Program (AR-GEMS), offered by the Arkansas Geriatric Education Center is a continuing education program aimed at health professionals working with older patients who want to learn more about the aging process and improve the care provided. For more information contact www.agec.org

The Arkansas Healthy Aging Coalition mission is to promote health and prevent disease in Arkansans age 50 and over. This is a multi-agency collaborative whereby focus teams will identify healthy aging needs and assist in establishing programs and/or activities to meet those needs. For more information contact: www.healthyarkansas.com

Programs of All Inclusive Communities for Elders (PACE) provide and coordinate needed preventive, primary, acute and long term care services so that older individuals can continue living in the community. CHCA is currently exploring the possibility of developing a PACE program in rural Arkansas. For more information contact: www.NPAonline.org

Best Practices in Geriatric Mental Health is a training program offered by the AR Geriatrics Education Center, aimed at health professionals working with older patients who want to learn more about mental health issues in the aging process, how to improve the care provided, and how to refer to other more intensive services as needed. For more information contact www.agec.org

Improved collaboration at the clinic local level to include working with the Rural Hospital Programs http://rhp.uams.edu, the Regional Centers on Aging www.centeronaging.com, AR Dept. of Human Services, Area Agencies on Aging (Phone: 501-682-2441 for local listing), AR Dept. of Health www.healthyarkansas.com, and local providers.