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SOUTHERN MAINE AGENCY ON AGING RECEIVES $16,000 GRANT FROM HARVARD PILGRIM HEALTH CARE FOUNDATION FOR CAREGIVER SUPPORT CLASSES
Monthly Classes Will be Held in Cumberland York Counties in 2018
(Scarborough, ME, April 25, 2018) – Southern Maine Agency on Aging (SMAA) has received a $16,000 grant from the Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Foundation to provide monthly caregiver support classes over the next 12-months throughout Cumberland and York Counties. These programs will begin in June.
All caregiver programs will be presented by an experienced caregiver specialist, often a licensed social worker and will cover such topics as establishing boundaries, stress management, planning, and myths and realities. In some instances respite care will be offered so that caregivers will be able to participate without worrying about caring for the needs of their loved one. The programs will include refreshments and opportunities to socialize with other caregivers facing similar situations.
SMAA’s Chief Executive Officer, Lawrence Gross said “I am excited about our ability to reach so many caregivers within the communities we serve with quality educational programs. We are thankful to the Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Foundation for recognizing our expertise in supporting caregivers and for making such an impactful gift.”
SMAA has a long history of supporting caregivers including the provision of information and resources on adult day care, home care, long term care and respite care as well as providing caregiver education programs including SAVVY Caregiver. SMAA also owns and operates two beautifully appointed Adult Day Centers (The Stewart Center in Falmouth and Sam L. Cohen Center in Biddeford) which are well-known for providing “State of the Heart” person-centered programming for adults with memory loss.
“By providing these educational programs, we hope to empower caregivers to get the emotional support and encouragement they so desperately need as they care for their loved ones,” said Eugene Scanzera, Director of Medicare Products for Harvard Pilgrim Health Care. “Harvard Pilgrim is proud to partner with SMAA to bring these opportunities to Maine residents.”
ABOUT HARVARD PILGRIM
Harvard Pilgrim is a not-for-profit health plan that provides a variety of insurance plans including Medicare options and self-funding arrangements to more than one million members in Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts and New Hampshire.
The Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Foundation was created in 1980 to supports Harvard Pilgrim’s mission to improve the quality and value of health care for the people and communities we serve by providing the tools, training and leadership to build healthy communities throughout Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts and New Hampshire.
Since its inception, the Foundation has distributed more than $145 million in funds. In 2017, the Foundation awarded more than $2.3 million in grants to more than 900s nonprofit organizations within the four states.
ABOUT SOUTHERN MAINE AGENCY ON AGING (SMAA)
Since 1973, the Southern Maine Agency on Aging has provided residents of York and Cumberland counties with resources and assistance to address the issues and concerns of aging. The Agency serves people ages 60 and older, family caregivers, and people under 60 with a disability. Agency services are devoted to fulfilling its mission to improve the quality of life for older adults, adults with disabilities, and the people who care for them. For more information, visit www.smaaa.org.
