Langlade County knows it has a high population of caregivers, many of them in “sandwich mode”, meaning they are caring for grandchildren as well as aging parents. Their HeART assessment will focus on cataloguing the primary challenges caregivers are faced with daily, to discover the gaps in their community that need to be addressed for older adults to age in place with fewer barriers.
Their goal: improve sustainability of caregiving, and in turn, help support older adults who wish to remain in community settings. Their vision is for both older adults and their caregivers to feel actively supported, and have options for connecting with both formal and informal supports.
Langlade County has a population of community-minded older adults driving recent successful community projects. The Senior Center, at the direction of a committed group of older adults, is in the midst of a fundraising campaign to find a larger building. In 2017, the Salvation Army engaged a group of passionate senior volunteers and raised the most funds in its history. Older adults run the Antigo Community Area Food Pantry, continuing to increase services and raise funds. This community has momentum, and the HeART grant will help them leverage it to create an “aging in place” culture.
Building a Healthier Langlade County Coalition
Ron Barger, Director, Langlade County Health and Social Services
Jennifer Cummings, ADRC-CW
Julie St. Pierre, Alzheimer’s Association
Kim McCann, The Bay at Eastview
Holly Swikowski, Inclusa
Karen Kieper, Antigo Head Start Program Director
Meghan Mattek, Aspirus Langlade Hospital
Carrie Kubacki, Family Living Agent, UWEX
John Zenkovich, Langlade Co. Veterans Center Director
Judy Popelka, Langlade Co. Board of Health
Stephanie Thiede RN, Health Officer, Langlade Co. Health Department
Jen Beran, Langlade Co. Health Department