CIAIP. Community Innovations for Aging in Place Initiative

CIAIP Overview

The Community Innovations for Aging in Place Initiative (CIAIP) was authorized by Congress in the 2006 reauthorization of the Older Americans Act (OAA) to assist communities in their efforts to enable older adults to sustain their independence and age in place in their homes and communities.

Applicants for funding under the CIAIP initiative were instructed to assess their communities to identify any barriers to aging in place, and then, in collaboration with other community organizations, identify innovative strategies for providing and linking older individuals to programs that provide comprehensive and coordinated health and social services to older individuals. Services considered critical to aging in place include care management, evidence-based disease prevention and health promotion services, education, socialization, recreation, and civic engagement opportunities.

Collaboration is an important component of any community-based innovative strategy to assist frail older adults to age in place. Successful projects are able to establish partnerships with local entities including Aging and Disability Resource Centers (ADRCs), area agencies on aging (AAAs), local providers of health and social services, housing entities, community development organizations, philanthropic organizations, foundations, and others.

A Technical Assistance Grant (TAG) was awarded to the Center for Home Care Policy & Research (CHCPR) of the Visiting Nurse Service of New York to provide technical assistance and support to the community grantees. CHCPR's TAG Team includes a robust collaborative of experts from across the country with a wealth of experience working on numerous initiatives related to aging in place, livable communities, community partnerships, and naturally occurring retirement communities.