SeniorsPlus, the Area Agency on Aging for Western Maine, has been awarded an Administration for Community Living 2019 award of $693,362 for Alzheimer’s Disease Program Initiatives, according to a news release from the Lewiston-based agency.
The three-year grant is for a program entitled Dementia Capable Maine, which will bolster capacities to support caregivers and people living with dementia. SeniorsPlus and key partners will work to expand the integration between AAA’s, the primary healthcare system, and community services in Western and Eastern Maine. Project partners Eastern Area Agency on Aging, Maine Behavioral Healthcare, Maine Health, the University of Southern Maine, and the Alzheimer’s Association will work with SeniorsPlus to improve and strengthen support and services delivered to people with dementia and their caregivers.
The program’s reach will extend to Penobscot, Piscataquis, Hancock, and Washington counties, as well as Androscoggin, Oxford and Franklin counties.
SeniorsPlus’s grant was one of 13 cooperative agreements awarded for a total of $10,370,642. The awardees are located in 11 states across the nation including Maine.
“We are very excited about the innovative programming we will be launching and making accessible to families and individuals dealing with Alzheimer’s Disease,” said Betsy Sawyer-Manter, President & CEO of SeniorsPlus. “A grant award of this size will allow us to delve into programming that before we only dreamed of, including music and memory therapy.”
Established in 1972 and headquartered in Lewiston, SeniorsPlus is the Western Maine designated Area Agency on Aging covering Franklin, Oxford and Androscoggin counties. The overall program goal of SeniorsPlus is to assist older people and adults with disabilities in its tri-county area to remain safely at home for as long as possible. The mission of SeniorsPlus is to enrich the lives of older people and adults with disabilities. SeniorsPlus believes in supporting the independence, dignity and quality of life of those we serve. It serves more than 17,000 individuals annually.
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