FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 18, 2023
CONTACT:
Mary Wiemann, AIHS
260-745-1200, ext. 241
Aging & In-Home Services of Northeast Indiana
Recognizes Honorees at Annual Meeting
Fort Wayne, IN – Aging & In-Home Services of Northeast Indiana, Inc. (AIHS) held its 48th Annual Meeting and Awards Ceremony at the Parkview Mirro Center on Friday, October 6. Actress, artist, philanthropist and family caregiver Jane Seymour was the featured speaker. Two individuals and one organization were honored with “Communities for a Lifetime - Awards of Excellence.” The 2023 honorees are:
Topeka Pharmacy: Topeka Pharmacy has worked hand-in-hand with Aging & In-Home Services and the LaGrange County Council on Aging to provide vaccine clinics as part of our USAging vaccination grant award. These clinics have proven to be of utmost importance to reach the critically underserved community where public health outreach efforts seldom occur or succeed. As an established and trusted community provider to the Amish and non-Amish residents, Topeka Pharmacy values these clinics as an opportunity to protect and serve the entire community. To date, Topeka Pharmacy team members have traveled over 1,000 miles supporting our vaccination clinics from Steuben County to Wells County. These dedicated professionals are recognized for the amazing work they are doing to help AIHS get “shots in arms” of some of our most rural clients.
Sandy Markwood, USAging: USAging is the national association for Area Agencies on Aging including AIHS and more than 600 + Area Agencies on Aging across the country. Sandy is committed to ensuring that our society values and supports people across the lifespan. This commitment has taken many forms, including advocacy with multiple administrations and on Capitol Hill for the reauthorization of Older Americans Act legislation aimed at supporting older adults and their caregivers in their homes and communities. In her tenure at USAging, Sandy has presided over numerous initiatives addressing major changes and challenges affecting the aging network and the evolution of aging in America including the USAging Aging & Disability Vaccination Collaborative, The Center of Excellence to Align Health and Social Care: Enhancing Community-Based Aging and Disability Organizations to Improve Access to Long-Term Services and Supports, and a newly announced four-year cooperative agreement to launch the Innovations in Family Caregiver Services and Supports Initiative.
Dr. Shantanu Agrawal, Elevance Health Foundation: As Chair of the Elevance Health Foundation’s Board of Directors, Dr. Agrawal oversees the Foundation’s philanthropic investments. Under his leadership, $30 million has been committed over three years to programs that address food insecurity by helping individuals reach optimal health through good nutrition. The Indiana Area Agency on Aging Association and AIHS have been fortunate to be the benefactors of that support. The statewide grant of $4.4 million dollars came through the Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield Foundation to each of Indiana’s area agencies on aging to obtain fresh produce, which is then provided to participating seniors at senior meal sites or as part of home delivered meals. In addition, seniors may receive a scale and blood pressure cuff to track health indicators. Reports from early grantees have collectively flagged that with individuals reporting one or more chronic conditions, 64% having reported improved health outcomes (e.g., weight loss, blood sugar stabilization, blood pressure reduction, etc.). In awarding these grants, Dr. Agrawal has said: “We, (the Elevance Foundation) believe that food is medicine, and when we fuel our bodies with nutritious foods, we can prevent diet-sensitive chronic diseases.”
AIHS also announced its first Chairman’s Award of Distinction. The 2023 honoree is:
Senator Mike Braun, United States Senate: Senator Braun, in just one term in the U.S. Senate, has positioned himself as an important advocate for the interests of older Americans. He serves with special distinction as the Ranking Member of the Senate Special Committee on Aging. Senator Braun, working with Chairman Bob Casey, has conducted a number of critical hearings – the most recent being on ensuring accessible government technology for people with disabilities, older adults and veterans He is also the author of several important bills including the Susan Muffley Act to restore retirement benefits for more than 4000 retirees in Indiana and the bi partisan Care Act of 2023 to improve the Veterans Administration Caregiver Program. Senator Braun also was one of 4 bi-partisan leaders in Congress responsible for the 2022 White House Conference on Hunger, Nutrition, and Health and his service on the Senate Agriculture Committee will help move some of the recommendations from that conference, especially those related to older adult nutrition. in his capacity as a key member of the Senate Health Education Labor & Pensions Committee, Senator Braun will consider the renewal of the Older Americans Act in 2024.
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Aging & In-Home Services of Northeast Indiana, Inc. (AIHS), a federal and state designated Area Agency on Aging (AAA) and Aging & Disability Resource Center (ADRC), is a non-profit community-based organization with a mission to promote dignity, independence, and advocacy for older adults, persons with disabilities and their caregivers. AIHS has gained national recognition as a community leader transforming the traditional social services model into an integrated care model which bridges health care, behavioral health and community services to better serve vulnerable, at-risk populations.