IndiGO Awarded Livable Communities Grant to Address Elder Loneliness and Isolation

By Don Posh

IndiGO

This spring, in an effort to address the epidemic of loneliness and social isolation, indiGO applied for the Livable Communities grant through the American Rescue Plan Act. These federal funds are a boost to Wisconsin’s Home and Community-Based Services, which help support elderly and disabled residents receive services that allow them to live as independently as possible.

We are excited to share that we got the grant! Our vision is to increase accessibility of public spaces in our service area, as everyone deserves the opportunity to enjoy being out in their communities- regardless of age or ability. To accomplish this, our Independent Living Specialists will be trained to perform accessibility assessments. Our plan is to then implement two free community-based assessments in each of our counties (Douglas, Bayfield, Ashland, Iron, Burnett, Washburn, Sawyer, and Price) and one in each of our Tribal communities (Bad River, Red Cliff, Lac Courte Oreilles and St. Croix).

In addition, we are building a Livable Communities Coalition across our service area. We will be hosting outreaches in each of our counties and tribes to hear directly from community members about the public accessibility barriers they face. Together, we will collaborate to make the necessary changes in each community! After the grant is over, the coalition will continue our efforts of increasing public accessibility and decreasing social isolation and loneliness.

We are so happy to have this opportunity to strengthen community ties, provide accessibility education and support, and to collaborate on solutions. We value the diverse perspectives and local knowledge of all those in the communities we serve and look forward to working on this project over the next year!