Aging in Community Initiative (ACI)

IFAS will be conducting an evaluation of Lutheran Services in America and Thrivent Financial for Lutherans Foundation's Aging in Community Initiative (ACI). The initiative's overall goal is to increase the ability of aging individuals to remain in their homes and communities despite the disabling consequences of aging and illness. Fourteen Lutheran Services of America members have been selected to participate in the initiative, which began in October 2007 and will carry on through December 2008.

The programs are concentrated in one of two areas: 1) in-home non-medical support services for aging individuals, and 2) support services for informal caregivers of aging individuals. ACI's intent is take programs currently operating and, where appropriate, cross-pollinate their strongest features to make the programs more robust.

While insights will be shared across all 14 participants, each organization will also collaborate specifically with one or more participants to share and merge the best elements of their existing services and practices. Each organization has received a grant from Thrivent to create and pilot test a "hybrid" service model that is developed through this process. The initiative's hope is to create effective models that could be replicated by other organizations and would result in individuals remaining in their homes longer and their caregivers being less burdened. IFAS will be conducting an evaluation of the new "hybrid" programs and of the learning circle process through which the organizations are sharing successful elements of their services and practices. IFAS' evaluation will conclude in February 2009.

Contact Alisha Sanders about this project.