Healthy Aging in Rural Towns
Healthy Aging in Rural Towns (HeART) is a collaborative project to help rural communities strengthen their support networks for their older adults and family care givers. CARE project staff are partnering coalitions from three rural Wisconsin communities—Iowa County, Langlade County and the City of Waupun—to assess community needs and initiative strategies that improve the lives of older adults and their families. Examples of strategies include developing an online directory of local services for older adults and caregivers, developing respite resources and offering skill-building classes for family caregivers, and improving infrastructure for people with limited mobility.
Outcomes
In 2018, UW-Madison secured three $15,000 planning grants for three Wisconsin communities. With these funds, the communities completed assessments of local older adult and caregiver needs. These plans helped the communities and UW-Madison secure funding to address these needs. The communities each received between $100,000 to $150,000 to implement their strategies and hire local coordinators. The Healthy Aging in Rural Towns (HeART) Toolkit, available as a free download, contains guidelines and resources for conducting a needs-and-assets assessment and for choosing strategies to strengthen your community’s support network and help older adults thrive. This toolkit was designed primarily for use by rural communities.
Focus Areas
Project Leader
- Department/Unit
- Center for Aging Research and Education
- School or College
- School of Nursing