Voters who are 60 years or older will have the chance to cast their ballots and get free diabetes screenings at the same time. More than 25 local vendors, including agencies, community support groups, health service and senior housing providers, will be stationed on the polling site at Perinton Square Mall from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on November 6 as part of the Good to Grow Old Health Fair.
The event, which is sponsored by Senior Options for Independence, a collaboration between the Senior Living Council and Fairport Baptist Homes, the University of Rochester's Warner School of Education, and Perinton Square Mall Merchant's Association, is part of a community-wide initiative designed to help older adults, families, and friends learn about health and wellness, senior housing options, and services available to seniors.
The event will feature a number of free services to seniors throughout the day, including depression screenings, blood pressure checks, diabetes screenings, meet and greets with pharmacists, Alzheimer's Association Safe Return enrollment, support groups, and more. "Seniors will have the opportunity to learn about available services that help promote wellness and healthy aging for older adults and to contribute toward creating a model intergenerational community of care and civic engagement," said Paul Stein, assistant professor of human development at the Warner School.
"This is a simple, convenient way for citizens to learn about the options available in their local community that support their changing needs," said Ellen O'Connor, coordinator and resource specialist, Good to Grow Old program. "Election day presents a particularly good opportunity to reach out to seniors. They can fulfill their civic responsibilities while learning how to live healthier."
The health fair is part of the Good to Grow Old program, a project that is supported by a $500K grant from the New York State Office for the Aging. Good to Grow Old, a community-based program, develops and evaluates community assets for living well, living long, and living at home. The livability of a community for good, healthy lifetimes depends on the quality of place, assistance, and, most importantly, people of all ages supporting each other. Warner School faculty members, Paul Stein and Kathryn Douthit, are studying the impact of this initiative on the quality of the aging experience.
About the Warner School of Education
Founded in 1958, the University of Rochester's Warner School of Education offers master's and doctoral degree programs in teaching and curriculum, school leadership, higher education, counseling, human development, and educational policy. The Warner School of Education offers a new accelerated option for its Ed.D. programs that allows eligible students to earn a doctorate in education in as few as three years part time while holding a professional job in the same field. The Warner School of Education is recognized both regionally and nationally for its tradition of preparing practitioners and researchers to become leaders and agents of change in schools, universities, and community agencies; generating and disseminating research; and actively participating in education reform.