Grant Provides Proactive Medical Care for At-Risk Older Adults

PVH and MCR Foundation has been chosen as one of the inaugural grant recipients from NextFifty Initiative, a nonprofit foundation focused on improving the landscape of aging. The funded project is called “Community Paramedics—Proactive vs. Reactive.”

The grant funding provides medical care for adults age 50-plus in Larimer, Weld, and Boulder counties who have chronic illness and lack a caregiver or are homebound due to disability. The grant also funds an RN coordinator to track the data received from participants’ monitors and schedule home visits from community paramedics.

One of the services provided through the grant is easy-to-use equipment that helps patients track their vital signs at home. The Community Paramedics—Proactive vs. Reactive program provides home blood pressure monitors, glucose monitors, and scales that measure weight and BMI. Data from the measurements is sent via Wi-Fi to UCHealth.

In addition to engaging the patient in their care, remote monitoring of patients can mean the difference between adjusting medication remotely and a trip to the emergency room or readmission to the hospital.

“This funding enables our organization to gain traction with our mission and reach more people,” said Abby Dowling, UCHealth’s RN coordinator for the program. “NextFifty Initiative’s support and partnership gives us a fast, simple way to keep an eye on these patients’ vital signs and symptoms daily.”

Margaret Franckhauser, president and CEO of NextFifty Initiative, said, “The PVH and MCR Foundation was selected in our first round of grant recipients because we see the potential in its mission to positively impact people in their second 50 years. We offer our congratulations for being selected and look forward to a wonderful partnership that brings progress and change.”