Rosanne J. DiStefano, executive director of Elder Services of the Merrimack Valley.
Elder Services of the Merrimack Valley will receive a total of $350,000 from the Tufts Health Plan Foundation to help older adults manage chronic diseases and combat elder abuse.
Tufts Health Plan Foundation gave more than $1.8 million to 12 organizations, including the Healthy Living Center of Excellence, a division of Elder Services of the Merrimack Valley. The focus is to support innovative approaches to improving health and wellness.
“Engaging adults as active partners in their health care is essential to improved well-being and quality of life. As a direct result of funding from Tufts Health Plan Foundation, we are able to make important programs more accessible to diverse, underserved communities. The Healthy Living Center of Excellence will continue to work with our statewide partners to develop strategies to sustain these programs and further improve linkages between community-based organizations, clinical providers, and the adults they serve. We are so pleased to continue our partnership with Tufts Health Plan Foundation,” said Rosanne J. DiStefano, executive director of Elder Services of the Merrimack Valley.
The Healthy Living Center of Excellence grant supports a network of more than 90 community-based providers, offering evidence-based programs to older adults throughout the commonwealth.
“These initiatives are inclusive, led by community, and represent true cross-sector collaboration. By leveraging foundation resources, grantees can implement promising practices and proven strategies—and accelerate progress,” said Nora Moreno Cargie, president of the Tufts Health Plan Foundation and vice president, corporate citizenship, for Tufts Health Plan.
The new investments align with the foundation’s support for age-friendly communities. The initiatives tackle a range of issues—from access to health care and social isolation of older adults to managing chronic diseases and elder abuse, a statement reported.